Who Plays Who?

Chris Wedge Karen Disher Ray Romano Queen Latifah John Leguizamo Denis Leary Simon Pegg Eunice Cho Harrison Fahn Maile Flanagan Jason Fricchione Bill Hader Kelly Keaton Joey King Allegra Leguizamo Lucas Leguizamo Clea Lewis Jane Lynch Josh Peck Christian Pikes Avery Christopher Plum Joe Romano Carlos Saldanha Manoela Scarpa Saldanha Sofia Scarpa Saldanha Seann William Scott Cindy Slattery Kristen Wiig

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Scrat Scratte Manny Ellie Sid Diego Buck Diatryma Girl Glypto Boy Aardvark Mom Adult Molehog Male Gazelle Molehog Mom/Shovelmouth Mom Beaver Girl Aardvark Girl Aardvark Boy/Beaver Kid #2 Start Mom Diatryma Mom Eddie Little Johnny Beaver Kid #1 Ronald Dinosaur Babies/Flightless Bird Molehog Girl 1 Molehog Girl 2 Crash CBird Pudgy Beaver Mom

What Do The Critics Say

"The animation still impresses, especially in the care given to the fur on the creatures; but the humour seems even more aimed at the very young than before. The best feature of the new film is the character of a rakish, buccaneering, one-eyed weasel with a distinctively British accent, voiced by Simon Pegg." David Stratton ABC AT THE MOVIES "The latest adventure of Scrat - the tenacious, frantic, and endearing prehistoric squirrel-rat creature: hit the big screen this weekend, and the beloved animated character delivered even more laughs than usual. Fortunately, "Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs" has one big advantage over its predecessors: it has dinosaurs. This alone is virtually enough to make Dawn Of The Dinosaurs the best Ice Age movie yet." Steve Biodrowski CINEFANTASTIQUE "Ice Age 3 is wittier than Kung-Fu Panda, certainly as slick as Toy Story. The Ice Age franchise shows no signs of thawing out. Come on 4!" Victor Olliver TELETEXT "This rambunctious outing (the third in the franchise) is cute enough to engage kids and just smart enough to keep the chaperones entertained." Elizabeth Weitzman NEW YORK DAILY NEWS "Director Carlos Saldanha (who also helmed the The Meltdown) and co-director Mike Thurmeier (a supervising animator making his feature-film directing debut) clearly relish the freedom to explore and push the boundaries, which results in the most action-oriented film in the series. Like the previous Ice Age films, Dawn of the Dinosaurs is enjoyable." James Kendrick Q NETWORK ENTERTAINMENT "This is one of those animated features that is perfect for six year olds but actually quite a trial for adults to sit through because there's not a lot of wit in it and I think kids love, disgusting goo being vomited over, characters and there's plenty of that in this. littlies are going to really like it, I think." Margaret Pomeranz ABC AT THE MOVIES

"They held out as long as they could. But this time, the Ice Age scriptwriters surrendered to Hollywood's motto: Never let the facts get in the way of a good story. And so it is that dinosaurs, long extinct in the Ice Age of 16,000 years ago, rear their ugly heads in this cool as ice animated adventure. Accuracy aside, the terrible lizards allow for a whole new dimension of prehistoric plot points. And let's face it, who doesn't love dinosaurs?" Colin Newton BRISBANE COURIER MAIL "This is the coolest film of the summer as far as family fun goes. This is really Sid’s movie with a major influence from Buck, the one-eyed Dino hunting Weasel voiced; rather brilliantly I might add, by Simon Pegg. With just the right balance of family and slightly more mature gags this is laugh out loud funny, which is quite rare for a family film, and this will entertain pretty much everyone who watches see it." Simon Thompson HEART 106.2 "Once again, there's that freaky, twitchy-eyed little rodent searching for his acorn, and now competing for it with an eyelash-batting lady rodent. As before, their existence is comically incidental to the main narrative. Ice Age series comes fully endorsed as a safe ride for all ages." Peter Bradshaw UK GUARDIAN "An hour and a half feast of laughs and slapstick action that only the most jaded film snob could resist. It's proper, funny stuff." Robbie Collin NEWS OF THE WORLD "This fun and exciting crowd-pleaser generates lots of laugh-out-loud moments. Kids will be able to identify with the distinct personalities of these familiar lovable characters." Keith Cohen ENTERTAINMENT SPECTRUM "3D heats up a cooling franchise nicely, alternating the familiar friends-forever 'aw' factor and chucklesome comedy chases with some ace in your face visuals. Director Carlos Saldanha puts the 3-D visual depth charges to good use too. Keeping the adrenalin soaring, barfing Venus fly-trap and giant dinosaur jaws snapping out over the audience will have the tinies shrieking with delight. Come the evolution: bouncing buoyantly onto the 3-D bandwagon, Ice Age 3 looks slicker than permafrost." Kate Stables TOTAL FILM

The Inside Story The new world points to the filmmakers’ desire to put the Ice Age characters in different situations and give them unexpected challenges in each film. "We always want to see how far we can push the characters," says Lori Forte ("No Time for Nuts"), who in 1999 had pitched the idea for "Ice Age" and has produced all three films. Director Carlos Saldanha , who helmed "Ice Age: The Meltdown" and returns for the third installment believes this one "is the most ambitious of the three pictures, by far. We plunk our heroes: who know only the Ice Age and a melting Ice Age, into a world that they’re not equipped to handle." Co-director Michael Thurmeier ("Robots") says that the film has a new, more expansive look. "It almost feels like a genre movie, and that really drew me in. It’s still a smart, character-based comedy, but the underground world and characters provide an epic sweep and adventure that’s new to the 'Ice Age' franchise." The Ice Age gang’s game-changing, grand adventure starts out on familiar turf: the makeshift family comprised of mammoth Manny, his wife Ellie (who’s now expecting a mini-mammoth), Sid the sloth, Diego the saber-toothed tiger, and possums Crash and Eddie, is shifting as each finds his or her place within the family. "We wanted to maintain the emotional resonance of the previous films, in terms of Manny, Sid and Diego undergoing major changes and having their relationships continue to evolve," says co-screenwriter Michael Berg. "We have become so familiar with the characters over the years, that we really care about them and want them to succeed, whatever changes they’re undergoing," adds Berg’s writing partner, Peter Ackerman. Manny, the de facto leader of the herd, prepares to face a new challenge: parenthood. He’s taking it very, very seriously, going so far as trying to baby-proof nature itself by removing the innumerable stones, twigs and other potential 'hazards' around him. Frantic preparations for fatherhood are clearly something that Manny’s alter-ego, three time EMMY Award winner Ray Romano, identifies with. "It wasn’t that different from my own life. Getting crazy preparing for a new arrival comes with the territory." But marriage does agree with Manny, who’s very much in love with his bride Ellie, having overcome a rocky start to their relationship in "Ice Age: The Meltdown". "It’s a good, typical marriage," Romano says. "Manny and Ellie are ready to start a family, which is a very natural thing." Romano also appreciated Manny’s arc through the three 'Ice Age' films. "He was kind of a misanthrope in the first film, with a real chip on his shoulder. Little by little, Manny’s developed friendships, found love, and become a more well-rounded guy." With mammoths experiencing no fewer than six trimesters of pregnancy, Ellie is more than ready for the baby’s arrival. She’s always been active and independent, so even though Manny wants her to take it easy, Ellie isn’t ready to slow down. "Manny and Ellie are opposites in the way they’re handling imminent parenthood," says 2003 BET Award winner Queen Latifah (who reprises the voice role she created in "Ice Age: The Meltdown"). "Manny is nervous and neurotic, trying to make sure that everything is perfect and safe for the baby. Ellie is more nurturing and begins to assume the mantle of matriarch of this family of friends." "Yeah, Manny is the brawn, but Ellie is the brains of that relationship," Romano quips. Ellie’s pregnancy consumes Manny. He's unaware his friends are going through challenges and changes of their own. Sid, who has developed a kind of younger brother/older brother relationship with Manny, feels that Manny won’t let him be a part of his burgeoning family. So when Sid discovers three enormous eggs in a cavern, he decides to start a family of his own. Manny pleads with Sid to return the eggs, but Sid insists on adopting them, and soon three adorable baby dinos are hatched. Although the baby dinos are twice Sid’s size, they immediately accept him as their mother and begin to mimic his every move, becoming 'Mini-Sids'. Complications ensue; as they always do around Sid, leading everyone into an adventure in an incredible underground world. With Sid, it’s all about heart: and being crazy, and we like it like that," says Queen Latifah ("Chicago"), with a smile. In creating Sid’s voice for 'Ice Age', three time ALMA Award winner John Leguizamo (1999, 2001 & '02) gave him an unforgettable lateral lisp, after the actor learned that sloths store food inside their cheeks."Sid wants to be taken seriously, get some respect, and be treated like an adult," says Leguizamo ("Assault on Precinct 13" & "Where God Left His Shoes"). In this film, Sid embraces the formidable challenges of raising a trio of T-Rex hatchlings. "Well for one thing, the eggs are bigger than Sid, who has to carry them around," adds EMMY Award Leguizamo. "And they don’t eat what Sid eats; Sid’s a vegetarian, and the 'kids' are meat-eaters. You know, it’s like you try and raise kids of any species. Good luck!" Manny’s best pal, saber-toothed tiger Diego, is facing a different kind of crisis: Lately he’s been feeling more like a kitty cat than a fearsome feline, and fears that joining the herd is making him lose his edge. Instead of participating in the preparations for the baby’s arrival, Diego heads out on his own in search of adventure, wondering if it’s time for him to move on from the herd. "He’s breaking off on his own," says actor-comedian Denis Leary, (TV'S "Rescue Me".) "Diego also has some great moments with Ellie at a critical time for her, and that was a lot of fun to play." And what about the notion of a secret world lying under the ice? It’s great, says the avid amateur hockey player and fan. "But for me, personally, anytime there’s ice, I want to be on top of it, not below it." The next in our familiar quartet of heroes is the hapless yet indefatigable prehistoric squirrel/rat known as Scrat, whose raison d’être is an elusive acorn. In short, he’s nuts for a nut. The character’s exasperated squeaks, squeals, squawks, grunts and groans are again voiced by 1999 Oscar winner Chris Wedge ("Bunny"), who helmed "Ice Age" and executive produced the two follow-ups. Initially envisioned for "Ice Age" as a peripheral character, Scrat’s explosive popularity in that first film’s teaser trailer led the filmmakers to expand the role significantly. "Ice Age: The Meltdown" explored new attitudes and frustrations for Scrat, as his quest remained unfulfilled. Not only did he instigate the meltdown and ensuing flood, Scrat ended up saving the day. He also displayed some impressive martial arts moves as he battled killer fish that got in his way. This third edition ups the stakes even more for Scrat, giving him a rival for the nut: a wily and attractive female squirrel/rat named Scratte (rhymes with sautee). Their battle of the sexes brings a new level of fun, action and especially romance to the beleaguered figure. Scratte, was designed by noted artist Peter de Sève, who has been with the films since the inception of "Ice Age". He worked to make the two rodents physically similar, but with important distinctions. "Scratte is smarter than Scrat," says he man who created all the characters. "And she’s more refined and evolved." Karen Disher, who heads the film’s story department, voices Scratte. But Disher’s responsibilities extended beyond her vocal work. The story department, working closely with director Carlos Saldanha ("Robots") to create the Scrat-Scratte scenes. Disher ("Horton Hears a Who!") and her team embraced the task of inventing new challenges for the beloved Scrat. "Working on the Scrat-Scratte scenes is the purest form of animation," she notes. Another new character audiences are sure to love is voiced by an actor who has taken on Zombies, run a London Marathon, upstaged the New York Publishing industry and joined a young Capt James Kirk on starfleets mightiest fighting ship, the USS Enterprize. The voice belongs to 2005 Peter Sellers Comedy Award winner Simon Pegg (2004's "Shaun of the Dead") and the delightful character is Buck, a swashbuckling, slightly crazed one-eyed weasel who accidentally fell into the world below and lost his eye to a dinosaur. Like Captain Ahab in Moby Dick, Buck has devoted his life to vengeance on the mammoth creature that wronged him. "We always liked the idea of an adventurer: a guy who has mistakenly fallen into the wrong world, but found his destiny from his obsession with the white dinosaur Rudy," says Saldanha. "This gives him a purpose, edge and a sense of fun." "Buck has a self-mythologizing quality, and that makes him fun and bigger than life," adds Berg. Co-screenwriter Yoni Brenner ("Surviving Sid") notes: "finding the origins of Buck’s bigger than life antics was a priority. Carlos wanted to make sure we defined a reason for Buck’s craziness. We wanted to ground his behavior, at least a little bit. He had to be not only really funny, but make sense from a character point of view." Co-screenwriter Peter Ackerman ("Ice Age") revealed that, the longer he lived with the character, the more questions arose that needed answers. "You wonder, well, who is this guy? What is he doing in the underground world? How do the newly arrived Ice Age characters affect him? Does he want to join them?" Character designer Peter de Sève and the animators; under supervising lead animator Galen Tan Chu, plus the film’s rigging department, made the character super-bendy in every direction. "Buck is a little crazy, as well as really athletic, so we really amped up his ability to twist, stretch and spiral," says de Sève. Buck having only one good eye made him even more visually arresting, but presented some performance challenges for the animators. In casting the role, the filmmakers wanted a voice that stood out from their previously established characters. "Every character in the ‘Ice Age’ films has a distinct voice, but they all somehow fit together," says producer Lori Forte ("Bartok the Magnificent"). "Simon has great comedic timing, and his work brought a completely different flavor to Buck. We wanted a quality that conveyed a worldliness and range of experience that hadn’t yet been heard in an 'Ice Age' movie." Buck’s adventurous spirit and daredevil antics are embraced by sibling possums Crash and Eddie. "Crash and Eddie are as out of their minds as ever; as they get older, they only get crazier," says Josh Peck (the voice Of Crash) who wowed audiences with his role in "The Wackness". Seann William Scott ("Role Models") who voices Eddie, says this film resonated even more for him than his animated debut in "Ice Age 2". Synopsis

The sub-zero heroes from the worldwide blockbusters "Ice Age" and "Ice Age: The Meldown" are back in another incredible adventure. Crazy 'nutta' Scrat is still trying to nab the ever-elusive nut. He is about to be sidetracked big-time when he meets the gorgeous Scratte. Manny and Ellie are awaiting the birth of their mini-mammoth. Manny has even created a special crib for their soon to arrive bundle of joy. Sid the sloth gets into trouble when he creates his a makeshift family of his own after finding some dinosaur eggs. Diego the saber-toothed tiger is starting to believe he may be getting too soft. Is hanging out with his pals, the reason? When Sid and his dinosaur hatchlings are taken by mummy T. Rex, the gang comes to his rescue. In a mysterious and unknown underground world, they will join forces with a fearless, relentless, one-eyed, crazy, dino-hunting weasel named Buck.

The Verdict "There's always a sense of expectation when it comes to the ongoing story of 'Ice Age' travellers Manny, Ellie, Diego and Sid. Their the ideal example of well, opposites attracting. But what a combo they make when it comes to getting in and out of trouble. "Ice Age 3: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs" is no exception. Well, almost no exception. This time around, the humour is definately aimed at the kids. 'Ice Age 3' takes our furry foursome and those rascally possums Crash and Eddie, into a hitherto unknown world. One far below the Ice and snow covered surface to a lush tropical paradise where Dinosaurs roam and plants have a habit of eating anything that stray too close. 'Ice Age 3' also introduces audiences to a new character. One I am sure every person in the audience, whether they be little or large, are going to love: a swashbuckling, slightly crazy (make that real crazy), one-eyed weasel named Buck. He's an 'Ice Age' equivalent of Captain Jack Sparrow. With no other choices available, Manny, Ellie, Diego, Crash and Eddie are forced to take up Buck's offer to guide them through the perils of underground Dino territory. 'Ice Age 3' is a colorful tale of adventure and true friendship with a surprise ending you'll adore. An ideal family film, whether you have a family or not. SOLID 3 1/2 STARS." The Production Team

Director Co-director Producers Original Music Art Direction

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Carlos Saldanha Mike Thurmeier John C. Donkin & Lori Forte John Powell Mike Knapp

Run Time 94 minutes Rated PG [AUST] Copyright ©2009 - Fox Films - All Rights Reserved ©1999-2009 All Rights Reserved The Movie Pages - Protected by Australian & International Copyright. Trademark Laws Apply.