User blog comment:Ruffxnut/HTTYD 3 release date/@comment-1044705-20140908035443

It's more of a corporate decision than a production one, since DreamWorks is currently having a lot of financial troubles. They have plans for numerous future film releases, and HTTYD 3 needs to be set on a date that won't clash with Finding Dory. Since the How To Train Your Dragon franchise is one of the few investments that is bringing in a profit for DreamWorks, it needs to be able to make every last dollar it's potentially capable of. Since Finding Dory is almost guaranteed to be a hit, spacing the two films apart is a wise move.

Look on the bright side, at least we get two more seasons of the TV series instead of one. And they'll be 52 episodes long, not 40.