“Ice Age” Films Surge on Netflix Years After Release

In a surprising turn of events, two of the lesser-rated films from the “Ice Age” franchise have witnessed a significant surge in viewership on Netflix, despite being unavailable for streaming in the United States and having been released several years ago.

“Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs,” which originally hit theaters in 2009, burst into Netflix’s Top 10 rankings at an impressive No. 3 position during the week of May 20, attracting a substantial viewership of 9.5 million. It maintained its high standing for an additional week before slipping to No. 4, accumulating a total of 21.7 million views over the past three weeks.

Similarly, “Ice Age: Collision Course,” the 2016 installment that marked a downturn in the franchise’s box office performance, made its Netflix debut at No. 7 during the same week. The film quickly climbed to the No. 2 spot before settling at No. 3 by the week of June 3. Remarkably, despite not being available for streaming in the U.S. (where it is exclusively accessible on Disney+), “Collision Course” managed to amass 21 million views over the same three-week period.

The sudden resurgence of these two films, which were initially met with tepid critical reception (holding a 46% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes for “Dawn of the Dinosaurs” and a mere 18% for “Collision Course”), has left many industry observers puzzled. Nevertheless, both movies have found a place among the top 10 most-watched films this week in countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Guatemala, and Mexico.

The phenomenon of older movies and TV shows experiencing a revival on Netflix’s charts is not unprecedented. Such resurgences can often be attributed to renewed interest in a particular actor, the announcement of a new franchise installment, or, in some cases, seemingly without any discernible reason.

The “Ice Age” franchise made its debut in 2002 with the release of the first film, which proved to be a runaway success, grossing an impressive $383.2 million worldwide. The subsequent films spawned a series of video games, a live arena ice show, and theme park rides. “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” (2009) emerged as the highest-grossing film of the series, raking in a remarkable $886.6 million on a budget of $90 million.

However, the franchise hit a rough patch with its fifth installment, “Ice Age: Collision Course” (2016), which failed to resonate with audiences and critics alike, earning only $408.5 million despite boasting the largest budget of $105 million. This marked the end of the franchise’s theatrical run, with most voice actors, including the original trio of John Leguizamo, Ray Romano, and Denis Leary, not reprising their roles.

In 2019, Disney acquired the majority of 21st Century Fox’s assets, including the “Ice Age” franchise. As a result, all five films are now available for streaming in the United States exclusively on Disney+. Furthermore, the franchise has been expanded with a spin-off film titled “The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild” and a series called “Ice Age: Scrat Tales,” both of which premiered in 2022.