Known for quality animation and solid humor, the Ice Age franchise has contributed a lot to the entertainment industry over the past two decades. It's one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time, with earnings surpassing $6 billion from endeavors not only including features but also short films, video games, a TV series, and a play.

RELATED: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Ice Age's ScratWith six installments in the Ice Age franchise so far and another sequel in talks, Blue Sky's signature franchise has had quite the run. While not all Ice Age movies received positive reviews, there's no doubt they've left their mark on pop culture as a whole.

6 Ice Age (2002) Brilliantly Kicks Off The Franchise

The heroes of Ice Age: Diego, Sid, and Manny, on an icy field.

Ice Age set the franchise's standard. This film is a comedy at its core but also has an emotional story that introduces the iconic Scrat and his motley crew of animals, who run into different challenges during their first journey together to reunite a human child with his tribe. With dynamic characters who experience satisfying growth while developing strong friendships, this movie earned its fanbase.

Ice Age was both a commercial and critical success, with the movie grossing $383 million against a $59 million budget. It also received a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2003. Needless to say, Ice Age kicks off the franchise brilliantly.

5 Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006) Introduced Refreshing Characters But Not Everything Came Together

Ice Age's Diego and Manny looking scared balanced on a broken piece of ice

In Ice Age: The Meltdown, Sid, Manny, and Diego reside in a valley, but soon realize that their home is about to experience catastrophic flooding. The film introduced three new characters: Ellie, and her adoptive brothers, Crash and Eddie. They join the main trio in the escape, changing each other's lives in the process.

RELATED: 10 Physically Large Movie Characters Who Are Surprisingly GentleThe Meltdown had exciting moments and impressive animation but juggled too many different story elements. As a result, stories like the mini-sloth tribe's decision to sacrifice Sid didn't receive adequate development, feeling more like a side quest than a part of the main film.

4 Ice Age: Dawn of The Dinosaurs (2009) Presents A Different Environment

Ice Age's Buck smiling menacingly while standing in front of the group

In Dawn Of The Dinosaurs, the main characters find themselves in a hidden jungle when Sid is kidnapped by a Tyrannosaurus after he refuses to return her children to her. It's arguably the franchise's funniest installment with even funnier dialogue and harder-hitting jokes than the first two films. The film's best new addition is Buck, an eccentric weasel who adds a lot of laughs as he assists the heroes in their quest for Sid.

RELATED: The 10 Coolest Dinosaurs In Video Games, RankedThough viewers' reactions might have varied as Ice Age: Dawn of The Dinosaurs took place in an environment contrasting with its titular time period, scientific inaccuracy didn't undermine this silly movie's appeal. A well-rounded comedy, it also included a story about Ellie giving birth to Manny's daughter, Peaches, a solid emotional arc that helped ground the film.

3 Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012) Reinvigorated The Franchise With New Additions

The Ice Age heroes facing off against pirates, with Scrat caught in the middle.

Ice Age: Continental Drift included some of the franchise's most creative new ideas since the first film. With a plot driven by Scrat accidentally splitting up the Earth's continents, the heroes face the consequences of an absurdly quick continental drift as they're separated from their families.

Continental Drift also brought even more star power and catchy music to the franchise, with voice acting and singing from the likes of Wanda Sykes, Jennifer Lopez, Keke Palmer, Nicki Minaj, and Drake. New characters and a new landscape helped invigorate this installment in the series.

2 Ice Age: Collision Course (2016) Drifts Off Course

Crash and Eddie walk forward with smiles while the Ice Age heroes look grim

Ice Age: Collision Course is a bit of an anomaly, abandoning clever anachronisms for sci-fi absurdity, as Scrat discovers advanced technology from outer space. This plot had some potential, introducing asteroids as a credible threat, but it was weighed down by boring execution and clichés like an inexplicable visit to the Fountain of Youth.

RELATED: 10 Times Sci-Fi Movies Got The Future RightCollision Course's characters remained as endearing as ever but weren't enough to save this film from mediocrity. It's safe to say that viewers knew the franchise was waning at this point and forgot about Ice Age: Collision Course not long after they'd watched it.

1 The Ice Age Adventures Of Buck Wild (2022) Lacks Creativity

Ice Age's Crash and Eddie on Buck's back

In The Ice Age Adventures Of Buck Wild, Crash and Eddie set out on their own to prove that they can be independent, and find themselves helping Buck stop a dinosaur from wreaking havoc on the Lost World. A departure from form on several levels, this moving dropped Scrat from the cast, Blue Sky played no part in its production, and the franchise replaced most of its original cast, leaving only Simon Pegg as the titular Buck Wild.

Sadly, Adventures of Buck Wild's animation quality didn't live up to its predecessors, though it did recycle a lot of their work. The impulse to bring back the franchise was understandable but unfortunately, the film itself didn't have a strong story to tell. The Ice Age films may yet make a return to form but they'll have to overcome Buck Wild's mistakes to get back on track.

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