Very few films have the type of longevity that Ice Age has sustained. The film series, which debuted in 2002 with Ice Age, follows the stories of a group of mammals surviving the Paleolithic ice age. The original was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and subsequent films in the series achieved box office success, including Ice Age: Dawn of Dinosaurs which ranked as the second highest grossing animated film of all time when it was released and Ice Age: Continental Drift, which was the highest grossing animated film in 2012.
In the fifth installment, Ice Age: Collision Course, Scrat’s pursuit of the elusive acorn propels him into the universe where he accidentally unleashes a series of cosmic events that threaten the Ice Age World. To escape the impending danger, Sid, Manny, Diego and the herd must leave their home and embark on a journey filled with humor and adventure. Along the way, they uncover exotic new lands and encounter an array of new characters.
Romano and Queen Latifah have a longstanding history with the series and return to reprise their roles as husband/wife duo Manny and Ellie, two woolly mammoths living in the Ice Age. During a recent press conference, we sat down with Romano and Queen Latifah to talk about what it’s like to return to the series, why this story is important for families and what’s next for the prehistoric family.
There is a familiarity that comes with voicing a character for a series for the film series, and Romano felt like he could relate to the growth and evolution of this family which mirrored hisown. “It’s always fun to do and see a new story and to see the family evolve, because whatever is happening in the movie usually is happening in my family (Romano).” The duo’s daughterPeaches (voiced by Keke Palmer) is coming of age, now engaged to Julian (voiced by Adam DeVine). “My daughter had just moved out of the house about two years ago, and that’s what’s happening now to Manny and Ellie (Romano).” Like Manny, Romano is “a little worrysome” and recognizes how significant this transition is when a child moves out. “You prepare them [to move out and live on their own] but you’re not prepared for it (Romano).”
Ice Age: Collision Course weaves in humor and heart to tell a story that families can relate to. For Queen Latifah, this particular story was significant because “it’s always important that kids see themselves reflected in the stories they see.” She appreciates that the film speaks to “being okay with being yourself, being different.” The story and events that take place in this film depict “kids trying to figure things out.” Coming of age, marriage, and leaving one’s family of origin are events that everyone can relate to and the film speaks to these topics. “Sometimes things should not be that deep,” Queen Latifah remarks. “They should really be kind of simple, they should be fun. Kids’ lives are about innocence and learning and growing and making lots of mistakes” and Ice Age: Collision Course does a good job of weaving together those elements with humor and action in a way that is meaningful for families.
Rumors of a sixth film are already being discussed, and Romano and Queen Latifah weighed in on their thoughts for the family’s next adventure. According to Romano, “there are two things you got to figure out. What’s the next big milestone in the family? And what’s the next geological disaster that can happen?” Having told stories about having a baby and the role and challenges of extended family, Queen Latifah proposed they “invent Jamaica” so they could go back. While several angles were presented, it makes the most sense that a sixth film revolve around having a grandchild.
See Ice Age: Collision Course in theaters today. You can keep up to date with the film by following Ice Age on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Images: 20th Century Fox
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Ice age is my favorite movie of all time cuz it’s so funny and i really like what the characters might be thinking and it makes me feel like I can relate to this character Ellie I loved the part when she thought she was a possum at first and I think that’s cute if I was a wooly mammoth I would love to hang upside down from the tree .