The live-action update of the popular animated film grossed $8.6 million in regular Thursday shows, and another $2.5 million from early access Wednesday screenings.

Universal's 'How to Train Your Dragon' is opening to $82.5M, the best in the franchise, while A24's 'Materialists' is looking at $11M+.

Universal and DreamWorks Animation's live-action "How to Train Your Dragon" picked up $8.6 million from Thursday previews as it soars towards a projected $70 million to $80 million debut. The overall preview number climbed even higher to $11.

Yet the numbers by How to Train Your Dragon is a major jump from the original How to Train Your Dragon films. While The Hidden World made just $3 million in previews and opened at $55 million, How to Train Your Dragon 2 earned $2 million before its $49.4 million weekend debut.

Universal/DreamWorks’ remake of “How to Train Your Dragon” is off and flying at the box office, earning $8.6 million from Thursday preview screenings. Combined with $2.5 million from early access screenings, the film has an $11.1 million start heading into the weekend.

Director Dean DeBlois delivered a near-perfect live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon. Check out the rest of our review.

Relax, dear readers, your eyes don’t deceive you with that headline. Just as Universal/DreamWorks have remade the 2010 fan favorite How to Train Your Dragon, the studio has given its well regarded franchise another premium format finish. Which means it’s time to ask an old question that gets new answers each time: To 3D or Not To 3D?

Domestic box office estimates for this week’s opening of the live-action adaptation of Universal/DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon are between $65 million-$75 million-plus at 4,000 theaters,