The Ice Age series is one of the best-animated cinemas ever created. It has made a home in the hearts of kids and adults alike. The movie is all about a sense of adventure and humor. Towards the end, it will put you in awe.
This movie has become one of the most famous animated franchises in the world and has given us the most memorable characters of all time. It began as a Blue Sky Studios’ feature debut, and over time turned a massive hit. It also inspired a series of films and short films stemming from the original stories. Many new characters keep coming and going along the way.
Recently, the franchise is acquired by Disney. Thus, if you want to watch all of them, they are readily available to stream on Disney. In the meantime, you can also watch the TV specials and short films on YouTube.
What is the Movie Order of Ice Age?
All the Ice Age movies are released in chronological order, which means every movie picks up and continues the story of the preceding one. The shorts, however, do not directly impact the main storyline. Thus, you can watch them in any sequence.
Are you looking forward to beginning the Ice Age movie marathon? We have listed all of them in chronological order.
Ice Age, 2002
It is the first film produced by Blue Sky Studio, which also marks the directorial debut of Chris Wedge. Ice Age kickstarts the franchise and how! It follows the journey of four misfits and their feat of returning a human baby to its tribe.
The gang has numerous interesting characters; Manny, a no-nonsense woolly mammoth, Sid, a loud-mouthed ground sloth, Diego, a sardonic saber-toothed tiger, and the baby. The plot also takes you glimpses of Scrat, a saber-toothed squirrel, and his hunt to search for a place to bury his acorn.
Gone Nutty, 2002
This one is also known as Scrat’s Missing Adventure. It is the first short film released in the franchise. The plot is centered on Scrat after the events of the first film. While on his hunt, Scrat finds a tree filled with acorns. He then screws in, but it pops out several times. Frustrated by the many attempts, he causes the tree to break and creates an avalanche.
Ice Age: The Meltdown, 2006
The Meltdown is the second official part of the franchise, which the makers released after four years. The trio have now become best friends and live happily below a glacier. This time they discover a dam holding a vast body of water. The twist is that this dam can break at any time. They meet a vulture who suggests they catch a boat and rescue themselves from the catastrophe, paralleling Noah’s ark.
It makes them embark on their journey towards the ship. Manny thinks he is the last of his species but meets beautiful Ellie and convinces her to join the boat. The misadventures begin.
No Time for Nuts, 2006
Another short by the movie was released the same year. Again, this one follows Scrat as he finds a time machine. The machine sends the acorn in another time, making Scrat follow him. He jumps across various periods only to save acorn from the perils of the time. But once again, he is left with no nut in his hands.
The short also has some scenes of the trio. Thus, you will enjoy both these plots together. The movie was nominated for the Best Animated Short Film at Academy Awards.
Surviving Sid, 2008
Unlike the first two shorts, this one doesn’t focus on Scrat but Sid. However, Scrat enjoys his fair share of guest appearances. The story follows Sid and some small baby animals belonging to different species. The group furthers to a camp that Sid leads. The kids have lost all the confidence in their leader for no apparent reason.
To cheer up the kids, Sid tries to impress them without understanding the risks of his high jinks. Compared to other shorts, this plot wasn’t welcomed much by the audience. It ends with a baby beaver asking for his fathers after thousands of years.
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, 2009
It is the third one in the franchise and picks up a year after the second movie’s events. Manny and Ellie are expecting their first child and planning to raise it in a safe environment. Diego starts questioning his abilities to hunt and thinks of leaving the tribe.
In the meantime, Sid, too, wants to raise a family and picks up three unknown eggs that hatch to deliver three babies of Tyrannosaurus rex. Sid swears to protect and raise them. But things do not sail smoothly. The mother comes and captures Sid and her three babies. She takes them to an underground world. Now the gang is left with no choice by following them only to discover a new world of dinosaurs that they did not know exist.
Scrat’s Continental Crack-up, 2010
The shorts show the saber-toothed squirrel trying to hunt for an excellent place to bury his acorn. But he falls down the ice sheet, ending up in the Earth’s core. The adventure begins as it leads the ground to break into many continents. The funny little short film received a better reception than the previous ones, putting the audience in splits. It also showed the beginning of the shifting of tectonic plates.
Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas, 2011
This one was the first television special of the whole franchise. The movie begins eight years after the events taking place in the third installment. Peach is now young. The troupe is ready for Christmas. Manny is on cloud nine to share a family heirloom with Peach. However, the plan is disturbed by Sid and his foolish activities.
Sid is extremely sad about the previous events. He thinks he is on the naughty list of Santa. Along with Peach, Crash, and Eddie, he goes to the North Pole to hunt for Santa. The series follows a good dose of laughter, adventures, and some incredible discoveries. If you want to watch a holiday movie, make this your go-to option. It will warm your heart, we promise.
Scrat’s Continental Crack-Up: Part 2, 2011
Part 2 picks after Part 1, leaving Scrat abandoned at sea. The saber-toothed squirrel finds a small island and a glimpse of an acorn on the ground under the sea. He also tries to pick the acorn, which happens to be a map of an island full of it. Sadly, all that glitters isn’t gold. Tempted by acorns, Scrat jumps into it, putting himself in an unfavorable situation.
Ice Age: Continental Drift, 2012
This one picks up a few years after ending the events of the third installment. You will find Peach growing into a teenage mammoth. Everything looks perfect as a happy family. Little did they know that the adventures are yet to arrive!
The film shows the short Scrat’s Continental Crack-up as the starting of the continental drift breaking up the land, sending the animals away from each other. Along with Sid and Diego, Manny gets stuck on a glacier and is abandoned in the ocean. Before separating, he assures his family to come back, which forms its crux. The trio’s encounter with the gang of pirates is worth watching. This gang is led by a prehistoric ape, Captain Gutt.
The trio is troubled by the antics of the gang, but they also find a new companion. Manny’s family tries to reach the destination to search for Manny.
Cosmic Scrat-tastrophe, 2015
The sixth short film takes place before the fifth one. The misadventures of Scrat do not seem to be stopping. He discovers a spaceship that takes it into the blackness of the galaxy. What results are the cosmic events that will change the course of life on the Earth! While he is stuck in the space, Scrat cannot find the acorn.
Ice Age: The Great Egg-Scapade, 2016
The television special was originally broadcast on Fox in the Easter season. The story continues three months after the fourth film and five years before the events of the fifth film. The troupe is preparing for the Easter holidays. While Sid attempts to be responsible, he fails miserably. Ex-pirate bunnies Clint and Squint are plotting revenge against Manny. The gang has to face some troublesome times from the duo as they steal eggs and threaten to destroy them if Manny does not build them the boat.
But all’s well that ends well. Everything goes fine, giving you the much-needed holiday feel. This part of the movie also establishes Clint as the Easter Bunny, beginning the ritual of painting and hiding eggs.
Ice Age: Collision Course, 2016
It is the fifth film in the franchise. It will take you to the place several years after the events that ended the fourth film. This time, the story follows Manny and the group and their preparations for Peach’s marriage. Peach is getting married to Julian.
Diego wants to extend his family, but they are unsure since the kids get scared looking at the couple. The gang is happy celebrating Manny and Ellie’s anniversary, and they realize a small asteroid accidentally sent by Scrat disturbs the whole event.
Buck is all busy continuing his adrenaline adventures in the underground. He also runs into a pillar forecasting the large meteorite leading to extinction. He comes up to the surface and tells everything to the herd. The Ice Age soon turns into a mission to save life on the earth.
Scrat: Spaced Out, 2016
Scrat: Spaced Out is the direct sequel to the previous short. Scrat is still surviving in space when he meets an intelligent race called Scratzons wanting to keep the acorn for themselves. Scrat is now on a mission to save the acorn from aliens. Most of the scenes in this short film will remind you of the old movie as they are extended versions of its prequel. The makers have added only a few new ones.
The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild, 2022
The newest and the sixth film in the franchise is also the spin-off of the main storyline. This time, the story takes you to what happens after the Collision Course movie. The plot unfolds two opossum brothers, Eddie and Crash, as they move on after accidentally destroying the summer home of the herd.
They soon find themselves stuck in the lost world of dinosaurs. The movie also shows Buck’s attempts to save them from predators. The opossum brothers, Buck, and his friend Zee save the lost world from a revengeful Protoceratops, Orson.
Interestingly, it is the first movie without the involvement of Blue Sky Studious. But unfortunately, the reception of this Ice Age installment was not as expected. It received negative reviews for the lack of focus on the titular character, the absence of Scrat, and even the animation quality.
Ice Age: Scrat Tales, 2022
It is the first television series in the franchise as well as a spin-off to the main story. It is also the last production of the Blue Sky Studios. The series was released on Disney+ on the same day when the former was shut down. The tale follows Scrat and his discovery of a baby saber-toothed squirrel. You will be moved to see Scrat as a new parent.
The End, 2022
When Disney acquired 20th-Century Fox, Blue Sky Studious was scheduled to shut down. The franchise will move forth with a new animation team. As a goodbye to all the characters and stories that the animators have worked on for years, the production house released this short film with the Scrat Tales TV series on the 13th of April, 2022.
Like all the stories, the end provides you with a much-needed closure. Coming to the plot, it follows Scrat finds a place on the ground to bury his acorn. As he goes to screw it down, he pauses and eats it. Finally, the hustle that he has been experiencing for almost two decades comes to an end.
This short film is full of emotions and will surely touch your heart, especially if you are an ardent Ice Age follower.
Will There be an Upcoming Ice Age Movie?
According to reports, Disney is currently working on an untitled movie. It will be the seventh installment of Ice Age. It is unclear if this movie will be the sequel to The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild spin-off or a continuation of herd’s antics. More substantial updates are yet to be released.