Audiences who stay through the end credits of the live-action How to Train Your Dragon will see a final title card reading, “Dedicated to the loving memory of Margaret Coll”—a tribute to actor Gerard Butler’s mother.
Butler, who reprises his role as Stoick the Vast after voicing the character in the animated films, has spoken publicly about how hard the loss has been. In interviews tied to the film’s release, he said his mother died in February at age 81, and he expressed gratitude that writer-director Dean DeBlois chose to honor her in the movie.
A dedication added with Butler in mind
DeBlois has described the dedication as a personal decision meant to support Butler and acknowledge the impact of his mother’s death. Reporting around the film notes that DeBlois understood how deeply Butler was affected and wanted the movie to carry that recognition publicly.
Butler’s memories of his mother
In the same wave of coverage, Butler remembered Coll as a force in his life—strong, fiery, and supportive from the beginning of his career. He recalled that she backed his ambitions early on, including encouraging his goal of becoming an actor when it was still just a dream.
Context: the live-action remake and Butler’s return
The dedication appears in a film that revisits the original story of Hiccup and Toothless for a new format, with a cast that includes Mason Thames as Hiccup and other familiar characters reintroduced for live action.
In other words, it’s a big studio reboot—yet it ends on a quiet, personal note: a few words that turn the credits into a memorial.
