Disney is all set to expand one of its most successful franchises! The fan-favorite Ice Age franchise is making a comeback with its sixth installment, Ice Age 6, which is set to hit the big screen in 2026. OG cast members Ray Romano, Queen Latifah, and John Leguizamo will reprise their iconic characters in the upcoming installment. Additional familiar voices, Denis Leary and Simon Pegg, have also been confirmed to return for Ice Age 6.
News of Ice Age 6 was revealed by Disney and 20th Century Animation at Disney’s D23 Brazil fan event in São Paulo on November 8, 2024. The announcement was accompanied by a hilarious promo video, which was also shared on Disney’s YouTube channel. The video features Romano, Latifah, and Leguizamo embodying their characters and poking fun at each other while breaking the news of the upcoming sixth installment in the Ice Age franchise.
Batu Sener, who previously worked on the score for The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild and Ice Age: Scrat Tales, is seemingly on board for the upcoming installment, as shared on X (formerly Twitter) — though no official statement has been made. Disney has yet to announce further plot details and a definitive release date for Ice Age 6. The film is currently in production, packing on the anticipation for fans to reunite with Manny, Sid, Ellie, and the rest of the herd as they bask in all-new icy adventures.
‘Ice Age 6’ Will Be Walt Disney’s First Theatrical Release in the Franchise
Ice Age 6 will be the first-ever full-length theatrical release in the franchise to be produced by Disney since its acquisition of 21st Century Fox and its animation studio Blue Sky Studios back in 2019. According to Vox, the $71.3 billion deal was one of the biggest media mergers ever. The merger gave Disney ownership over popular franchises like X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Avatar. Unfortunately, 21st Century Fox’s animation studio, Blue Sky Studios, was shut down by Disney in April 2021 for cost-cutting due to financial strains.
The first Ice Age movie debuted on March 15, 2002, and the five films have collectively made over $3 billion worldwide ever since. Ice Age 6 marks the franchise’s first sequel in a decade since Ice Age: Collision Course, which was released in 2016. The film grossed over $408 million at the global box office against a $105 million production budget.
The most recent installment paled in comparison to its predecessors, Ice Age: Continental Drift, which boasted a worldwide total of $879 million, and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, which raked in a global total of $886 million. Since the Disney-Fox merger, the franchise has also expanded beyond the big screen with spin-offs like The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild in 2022 and the Disney+ series Ice Age: Scrat Tales.
Further details on Ice Age 6 are yet to be revealed. In the meantime, you can stream all five Ice Age movies and spin-offs on Disney+.
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Ice Age Franchise |
|---|---|
| Cast | Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, Simon Pegg |
| First Film Release | March 15, 2002 |
| Stream On | Disney+ |
| Directed by | Chris Wedge, Carlos Saldanha, Mike Thurmeier, Steve Martino |
| Produced by | Lori Forte, John C. Donkin, Chris Wedge |
| Based On | Original concept by Michael J. Wilson |
| Plot Summary | Follows the adventures of prehistoric animals navigating the Ice Age and forming unlikely friendships |
| Musical Elements | Scores by David Newman, John Powell, and John Debney |
| Current Status | 5 films released; Ice Age 6 announced for 2026 |
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