How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

NZ release: 03 January 2019

Violence Rated on: 17 December 2018

How to Train Your Dragon The Hidden World poster

What’s it about?

Hiccup tries to find a safe, secret place where dragons and humans can live peacefully. Meanwhile, Toothless falls in love with a mysterious Light Fury, and together they face a dangerous dragon hunter who threatens everything they've built.

The facts 

  • Directed by Dean DeBlois
  • Starring Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Kit Harrington, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill and Kristen Wiig.  
  • English language
  • Runtime: 104 minutes

Why did it get this rating? 

This film game was cross-rated by the Film and Video Labelling Body. You can find out more about cross-rating here.

Violence

The violence includes dragon battles, chasing scenes, and fights with weapons. While some moments are intense and fast-paced, the action is mostly animated in a way that isn’t very realistic or graphic. The film focuses more on adventure and emotion, so the violence is softened and generally suitable for older kids, though some scenes might be a bit scary for very young viewers. Examples include:

  • A character falls from a great height, and it's implied that he has died from the fall.
  • Dragons shoot fire and spray acid, causing flames and destruction.
  • Dragons are shot by poisonous darts.

When content stays with you: 

We all have our boundaries, and it’s completely okay if something you’ve watched is weighing on your mind. If certain content lingers with you, consider having a chat with friends or whānau to debrief about what you’ve just seen. But if you’re still feeling affected, please reach out to any of the following helplines for support.  

Further information 

Recent featured decisions

08 January 2026

Violence, sex scenes, offensive language, nudity & wound detail

In 1950’s New York, shoe salesman Marty Mauser chases his dream to become a table tennis champion regardless of the cost to those around him.  

Read more

15 January 2026

Sex scenes

A fictional historical drama about William Shakespeare’s wife Agnes and their family life. The devasting death of their beloved 11-year-old son inspires Shakespeare to produce the play Hamlet which transforms their grief.

Read more