'How to Train Your Dragon' soars to No. 1 with $83.7 million debut

"How to Train Your Dragon" took flight at the box office this weekend, proving that some remakes still have teeth.

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The Universal live-action adaptation of the beloved animated franchise soared to a strong $83.7 million debut in North American theaters, according to Comscore estimates Sunday. The film, directed by franchise veteran Dean DeBlois, follows the unlikely friendship between a young Viking named Hiccup (Mason Thames) and a dragon called Toothless.

The reboot easily outpaced 2019's "How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World," which opened with $55 million. The latest film earned more than $114.1 million internationally, bringing the global total to $197.8 million.

"This is yet another example of a live-action remake really delivering on the promise of the marketing," said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. "I think the longevity and playability of some of these films particularly in the summer has been nothing short of miraculous."