Dragons: Rescue Riders

Dragons: Rescue Riders is to be a new Netflix original series for the How to Train Your Dragon Franchise aimed at younger children than the existing TV series was. The first season of the series is due for release on September 27, 2019.

Overview
"Twins Dak and Leyla spend their days rescuing dragons and helping people in their adopted town of Huttsgalor. An animated comedy adventure series."

- Netflix official description

"Aimed at a younger set than the previous Dragons shows on Cartoon Network and Netflix, Rescue Riders follows twins Dak and Leyla, who were raised by dragons and thus have a unique ability to communicate with them. They lead a team of five young dragons who rescue other dragons and help people in the town of Huttsgalor. Franchise veteran Jack Thomas executive produces, Brian K. Roberts is a co-ep and TJ Sullivan directs. It's due to premiere later this year"

- Hollywood Reporter

"A cg animated comedy adventure series that opens a brand new chapter in Dreamworks Animation’s Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe-winning How to Train Your Dragon franchise. ... The all-new series is about twins, Dak and Leyla, who — because they were raised by dragons — share a unique ability to communicate with them. The brother and sister lead a team of five young dragons that spend their days rescuing other dragons, and helping the people in their adopted town of Huttsgalor."

- Cartoon Brew

"Twins Dak and Leyla and their dragon friends devote their lives to rescuing others, defending their home of Huttsgalor and having fun along the way. This feel-good animated adventure series is based on the beloved "How to Train Your Dragon" books."

- Netflix official description²

"In a faraway corner of the vast and exciting Viking and dragon world, live two special kids, ten-year-old Dak and his twin sister Leyla and five young dragons, Winger, Summer, Cutter, Burple and Aggro. Because they were raised among dragons, Dak and Leyla not only can ride them, they also have the amazing ability to speak to them! What sounds like growls and roars to everyone else sounds like words to Dak and Leyla. Together the twins and their dragon friends go on exciting adventures - rescuing, defending and protecting other dragons while also helping out their adopted home of Huttsgalor! Along the way, they develop and master new skills involving teamwork, problem solving and resolving conflicts."

- Official Website

Development and Production
Development was begun on Dragons: Rescue Riders as early as 2016, when Jack C. Thomas was pulled from Dragons: Race to the Edge early because he was put in charge of this new Dragons spin-off aimed at a much younger demographic. .

Voice Actors were working on Dragon: Rescue Riders by Fall of 2017, with John C. McGinley cryptically announcing his role on Twitter. Animation was also well underway, with Tony Ha as the Lead Animator beginning in 2017 at Bardel Entertainment. Around the same time, Brennley Brown announced on her Instagram that she, too, had begun voice work for an unnamed series at DreamWorks Animation. She would later post  to her Instagram Stories, revealing the episode title "Snoggletog - Part 2", and tagged "DreamWorks" on the story.

In January of 2018, DreamWorks Animation bought trademarks for merchandise and services under the name DreamWorks Dragons: Rescue Riders in preparation of the project's release.

In April of 2019, Netflix posted a title page for the series, however, a week later, the page was removed for unknown reasons.

Dragons: Rescue Riders was officially announced in July 2019 by several entertainment news outlets. Bardel Entertainment also announced the series at that time, and Netflix re-launched a title page for the series.

Three weeks prior to release, Netflix updated the title page suggesting the series is based off the book series rather than the movie franchise.

DreamWorks Animation finally officially announced the series on August 12, 2019 with a poster and trailer; two weeks before the series was due to drop. Around the same time, DreamWorks' official website launched a page for the series.

Trivia

 * Dean DeBlois revealed in January 2019 that, despite having the same Dragons branding, Dragons: Rescue Riders is set apart from the media so far appearing in the Franchise, particularly since it will be featuring 'talking' dragons
 * Some fans have noted a few parallels between the original How to Train Your Dragon Books series and Dragons: Rescue Riders. This includes 'talking' dragons (called Dragonese in the Books) and being raised by dragons, as happened to Hiccup Horrendous Haddock II in the Book series.
 * When Netflix launched the first title page for the series, it was said to be for ages "3-4", and when the series was officially announced, it was said to be directed at "preschoolers". However, Jack Thomas said in an interview that the series was aimed at "8 year olds", and Netflix's new title page rates the series "Y7" for ages 7+. It is currently uncertain which age demographic the series will most accurately be targeting.

People

 * Axel voiced by Jacob Hopkins
 * Dak voiced by Nicolas Cantu
 * Duggard voiced by Carlos Alazraqui
 * Elbone voiced by Roshon Fegan
 * Finngard voiced by Sam Lavagnino
 * Gludge voiced by Brian Posehn
 * Grumblegard voiced by John C. McGinley
 * Hannahr voiced by Moira Quirk
 * Leyla voiced by Brennley Brown
 * Magnus voiced by Brad Grusnick
 * Marena voiced by Grey Griffin
 * Oscar voiced by Patton Oswalt
 * Vizza voiced by Tara Strong
 * TBD voiced by Mary E. McGlynn

Dragons

 * Aggro voiced by Marsai Martin
 * Burple voiced by Noah Bentley
 * Cutter voiced by Andre Robinson
 * Summer voiced by Skai Jackson
 * Winger voiced by Zach Callison
 * Phantom Fang

Dragon Species

 * Fire Fury
 * Rocksplitter
 * Razorwing
 * Slinkwing
 * Wave Glider

Locations

 * Huttsgalor