How to Train Your Dragon 2 Production Halted After Crew Member's Serious Injury

Production on DreamWorks' live-action How to Train Your Dragon 2 has been marked by tragedy after a crew member sustained a major workplace injury.

The accident took place at a workshop facility at Sky Studios Elstree in the United Kingdom, where the film is currently in production. A special effects technician working on set experienced a devastating incident involving a saw that resulted in the severing of multiple fingers on one hand. Medical intervention proved unsuccessful, with surgeons unable to reattach the digits.

While the exact circumstances surrounding the accident remain unclear, the incident comes amid broader industry concerns about workplace safety. In 2025, the UK's crew member union Bectu and the producers' union Pact jointly addressed health and safety issues affecting film and television productions. Their collaborative statement highlighted that "broken turnaround"—when workers labor beyond their contracted rest periods—correlates directly with increased safety risks on set.

According to the unions' findings, reports submitted to Bectu reveal that "exhaustion, accidents and near-misses are all too common" across productions.

The film represents the second installment in Universal Studios' live-action adaptation series of the beloved DreamWorks Animation franchise. Currently scheduled for release on June 11, 2027, the project is among several major productions that have experienced on-set incidents in recent months. Earlier this year in March, actress Sophie Turner sustained injuries while filming Amazon's Tomb Raider.