Claim: How to Train Your Dragon (film) lost to The Social Network.

How to Train Your Dragon is a 2010 American 3D computer-animated action-fantasy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures . Loosely based on the British book series of the same name by Cressida Cowell , the film was directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois , the duo who directed Disney 's Lilo & Stitch . It stars the voices of Jay Baruchel , Gerard Butler , Craig Ferguson , America Ferrera , Jonah Hill , T.J. Miller , Kristen Wiig , and Christopher Mintz-Plasse .   The story takes place in a mythical Viking world where a young Viking teenager named Hiccup aspires to follow his tribe 's tradition of becoming a dragon slayer . After finally capturing his first dragon , and with his chance at last of gaining the tribe 's acceptance , he finds that he no longer wants to kill the dragon and instead befriends it .   The film was released March 26 , 2010 , and was a critical and commercial success , earning acclaim from film critics and audiences and earning nearly $ 500 million worldwide . It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score at the 83rd Academy Awards , but lost to Toy Story 3 and The Social Network , respectively . The movie also won ten Annie Awards , including Best Animated Feature .   A sequel , How to Train Your Dragon 2 , was released on June 13 , 2014 , with Deblois writing and directing by himself . Much like its predecessor , the sequel was also universally acclaimed and became a box office success . A second sequel , How to Train Your Dragon 3 is to be released on March 1 , 2019 . The film 's success has also inspired other merchandise , including a video game and a television series .