American Dragon: Jake Long (2025) brings back the beloved Disney series in a live-action fantasy adventure that reintroduces Jake Long as a young hero balancing the challenges of adolescence with the extraordinary responsibility of being a dragon. The film begins years after Jake first discovered his powers, showing him now as a high school senior in New York City. Though he has grown more skilled in controlling his transformations, Jake struggles with the pressure of protecting the magical creatures living secretly among humans while also trying to live a normal teenage life. His relationship with friends and family is tested as the line between his two worlds becomes harder to maintain.
The peace of the magical community is disrupted when a powerful new enemy emerges, an ancient sorcerer named Malakar who was once banished by the dragons centuries ago. Malakar returns with a vengeance, wielding dark magic capable of enslaving magical beings and erasing their existence from human memory. Jake soon learns that he is the only one strong enough to stop him, but doubts himself, questioning whether he is truly ready to carry the mantle of the American Dragon. His grandfather Lao Shi, wise yet stern as ever, pushes him to embrace his heritage, while his mother continues to remind him of the importance of being true to both sides of who he is.
Alongside Jake are his loyal friends—Trixie and Spud—who, though ordinary humans, prove once again that courage and loyalty can be just as powerful as magic. Rose, Jake’s old flame and former Huntsclan warrior, also returns, caught between her past and her lingering feelings for Jake. Their reunion adds emotional weight to the story, as Jake must decide whether he can trust her while battling the temptation to let personal feelings cloud his judgment.
The action escalates as Malakar unleashes chaos across New York, releasing mythical beasts into the city streets and forcing the magical community into hiding. Jake trains relentlessly, pushing his powers further than ever before, learning not just to breathe fire and fly, but to harness the deeper, ancestral energy of the dragon within him. The battles are visually spectacular, blending martial arts, shapeshifting sequences, and large-scale magical duels that bring the city to life in ways both wondrous and terrifying.
The climax takes place on the rooftop of a skyscraper during a lunar eclipse, where Malakar attempts to perform a ritual that would give him dominion over all magical beings. With the help of his friends and allies, Jake confronts the sorcerer in a breathtaking showdown, testing both his strength and his heart. Ultimately, Jake triumphs not by overpowering Malakar with brute force, but by fully embracing his identity as both human and dragon, channeling the balance of the two sides to defeat the darkness.
In the end, peace is restored, but Jake realizes that his journey has only just begun. The magical and human worlds remain fragile, and his role as protector is more important than ever. American Dragon: Jake Long (2025) delivers a thrilling and heartfelt story about courage, friendship, and identity, proving that true strength comes from embracing every part of who you are.
