Ice Age (franchise)
An American media franchise about Pleistocene mammals.
Ice Age is a media franchise from the United States that was created by Michael J. Wilson, with Lori Forte contributing the original idea that was further developed. The story revolves around a group of mammals trying to survive the Pleistocene ice age and includes computer-animated movies, short films, TV specials, and video games. Blue Sky Studios, a division of 20th Century Fox Animation (now 20th Century Animation), produced the first five films, which were released by its parent company, 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios). By April 2016, the franchise had earned $6 billion in revenue, placing it among the highest-grossing media franchises ever.
- created_by
- Michael J. Wilson
- co-developed_by
- Lori Forte
- first_film_release
- 2002
- number_of_theatrical_films
- 5 (as of 2016)
- highest_grossing_media_franchise
- one of the highest-grossing as of April 2016
- production_studios
- Blue Sky Studios (first five films), Walt Disney Pictures and 20th Century Animation (spin-off), 20th Century Animation (upcoming sixth film)
Lore & Background
The franchise centers on 'the Herd,' which since the first film consists of woolly mammoth Manny (voiced by Ray Romano), ground sloth Sid (John Leguizamo), and Smilodon Diego (Denis Leary). The series also features a dialogue-free saber-toothed squirrel named Scrat (Chris Wedge), whose misadventures retrieving acorns create chain events that set up the protagonists' adventures. Five theatrical films have been released: Ice Age (2002), Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006), Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009), Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012), and Ice Age: Collision Course (2016). The franchise's films have received mixed-to-negative critical reviews with the exception of the first film.
A standalone spin-off film, The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild, was produced by Walt Disney Pictures and 20th Century Animation without Blue Sky's involvement and released exclusively on Disney+ in January 2022, with Simon Pegg being the only returning cast member. A sixth film, Ice Age: Boiling Point, is in production under 20th Century Animation without Blue Sky's involvement for release on February 5, 2027, with most of the main cast reprising their roles.
Reader's Guide
The Ice Age franchise is significant as one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time, generating $6 billion in revenue as of April 2016. Its legacy includes five theatrical films produced by Blue Sky Studios, with a sixth film and a spin-off produced by 20th Century Animation after Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox. The franchise's critical reception has been mixed-to-negative, with only the first film receiving positive reviews. The series is known for its core characters—Manny, Sid, Diego, and Scrat—and for expanding its cast in later films with actors such as Queen Latifah, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Simon Pegg, Wanda Sykes, Keke Palmer, and Jennifer Lopez. The franchise's continued production, including a 2022 spin-off and a 2027 sequel, demonstrates its enduring commercial appeal despite critical ambivalence.
Did You Know?
- The franchise was created by Michael J. Wilson and co-developed based on an idea by Lori Forte.
- As of April 2016, the franchise had generated $6 billion in revenue, making it one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time.
- The first five films were produced by Blue Sky Studios; the spin-off and upcoming sixth film are produced by 20th Century Animation without Blue Sky's involvement.
- The sixth film, Ice Age: Boiling Point, is scheduled for release on February 5, 2027.
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