There are currently six feature-length films in the primary cinematic collection, alongside one spin-off film, multiple theatrical short animations, and holiday television specials. Launched by Blue Sky Studios in 2002, the franchise follows an eclectic herd of prehistoric mammals navigating changing environments, from massive glacial thaws to underground dinosaur jungles.
If you want to track down every single entry without missing a beat, you need a precise breakdown of the main series, spin-offs, and short films. Here is everything you need to know about the complete list of films and how they fit together.
The Main Theatrical Movie Series in Release Order
The core narrative evolves across five mainline theatrical releases produced by Blue Sky Studios, plus upcoming additions handled through 20th Century Studios. Watching them in release order matches the technological evolution of the animation studio and the natural expansion of the herd.
- Ice Age (2002) – Directed by Chris Wedge and Carlos Saldanha, the original film introduces Manny the mammoth, Sid the sloth, and Diego the saber-toothed tiger as they reluctantly team up to return a human infant to his tribe.
- Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006) – Directed by Carlos Saldanha, this sequel forces the herd to flee a melting glacial valley that threatens to flood their home, introducing Ellie, a female mammoth who believes she is an opossum, along with her opossum brothers Crash and Eddie.
- Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) – Directed by Carlos Saldanha, the third installment takes the characters into a hidden tropical world beneath the ice where dinosaurs still roam, and introduces the one-eyed, daredevil weasel named Buck.
- Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012) – Directed by Steve Martino and Mike Thurmeier, this chapter deals with global tectonic shifts sparked by Scrat's eternal pursuit of his acorn, separating Manny, Diego, and Sid on an ice floe where they encounter a crew of seafaring pirate animals.
- Ice Age: Collision Course (2016) – Directed by Mike Thurmeier and Galen T. Chu, the fifth movie follows Scrat into outer space, where his acorn antics accidentally send a giant asteroid straight toward Earth, forcing the herd to find a new place to call home.
The Spin-Off Films and New Additions
Beyond the core pentology, the franchise expanded into streaming exclusives and extended chapters that focus on specific characters.
- The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild (2022) – Released directly on Disney+, this spin-off film centers on Crash and Eddie as they head back into the underground Lost World and team up with Buck to save the dinosaur jungle from rogue rule-breakers.
- Ice Age: Boiling Point (2027) – The sixth major theatrical installment brings back the core voice cast—including Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, and Denis Leary—for a volcanic, dinosaur-filled adventure deep inside treacherous new corners of the subterranean world.
Essential Short Films and Specials
The universe also includes numerous shorts and television specials that flesh out minor gags or provide holiday adventures. While you don't need to watch them to understand the main plots, they offer extra laughs.
- Gone Nutty (2002) – An Academy Award-nominated short tracking Scrat's disastrous attempts to store a massive pile of acorns.
- No Time for Nuts (2006) – Another Oscar-nominated short where Scrat finds a frozen time machine and bounces across different historical eras.
- Surviving Sid (2008) – Follows Sid as he attempts to act as an incompetent camp counselor for a group of young animal children.
- Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas (2011) – A holiday television special where Sid accidentally destroys Manny's favorite Christmas rock and has to fly to the North Pole to fix things.
- Cosmic Scrat-tastrophe (2015) – A short featuring Scrat accidentally activating an alien spaceship and shaping the solar system.
Common Questions Answered
Do you need to watch the movies in order?
Yes, watching the theatrical films in release order is ideal because character relationships evolve naturally. For example, Manny and Ellie become a couple in the second movie, and their daughter Peaches is born and grows up across subsequent entries.
Is Blue Sky Studios still making the films?
No. Blue Sky Studios closed its doors in 2021. Current and future entries, such as Boiling Point, are handled under the banner of Disney and 20th Century animation divisions.
What order do the Scrat shorts release in?
The Scrat shorts typically debut alongside other films or home media releases. They follow a standalone gag format where Scrat's obsession with his acorn inadvertently alters geological or cosmic history.
