'How to Train Your Dragon 3' to be final in the series

The "How to Train Your Dragon" film franchise is set to come to its end with its third installment, which hits the theatres early next year.

Writer-director Dean DeBlois has confirmed "How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World" will be the last in the series.

"We thought about it for a long time and came up with what we think is a bittersweet way to say goodbye to these characters, but the right way," DeBlois told EW.

The first trailer of the film dropped back in June and featured Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel) having realised his dream of creating a peaceful Viking-Dragon utopia.

But the trailer also heard him say, "There were dragons when I was a boy," a reference which DeBlois said fans will understand after watching the film.

"You will understand why Hiccup says (that). And by the end of this film, you'll have answered the question of what could have happened to them," DeBlois said.

The film also voice stars Cate Blanchett, Jonah Hill, Kit Harington, America Ferrera, Kristen Wiig, TJ Miller, Gerard Butler and Christopher Mintz-Plasse.

"The Hidden World" will be released in the UK on February 1, 2019 and in the US on March 1, 2019.