Disney's $3.2 Billion Franchise Scores Big On Streaming Ahead Of New Release

Disney's $3.2 billion franchise with six installments has scored big on streaming, just a few months ahead of its next release. Disney's major billion-dollar franchises include everything from Star Wars to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, making waves in movie theaters with most new releases. However, some of their biggest franchises originate from the world of animation. This includes the Zootopia duology, both movies in the Frozen series, and a number of works under Pixar's umbrella, such as Inside Out and Toy Story. But there's one animated franchise relatively new to Disney's slate, while holding an impressive history.

That franchise is Ice Age. Produced under 20th Century Studios, which was bought by Disney in 2019, the animated franchise began in 2002, following the misadventures of Manny, a woolly mammoth, Sid the Sloth, and Diego, a Smilodon, during the titular period of Earth's history. While the Ice Age movies started relatively within the realm of their namesake's age, later films introduced concepts like dinosaurs, pirates, and aliens to the mix. In total, five main movies and a spinoff film have been produced.

Disney's $3.2B Ice Age Franchise Is Back As A Streaming Sensation

Now, Ice Age has returned as a streaming sensation after the five core movies debuted on Netflix. According to data from October 6, 2026, four Ice Age movies have made it into the Top 10 movies on Netflix in the United States. The original Ice Age sits at Number 3 in the US and Number 1 worldwide, reaching the top spot in 14 countries. The fifth film, Ice Age: Collision Course, is Number 5 in the US. The third installment, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, is Number 7, while the second, Ice Age: The Meltdown, is Number 2.

In addition to Ice Age's success on Netflix overall, all five movies have made it into the Top 10 on Netflix Kids in the US. Ice Age sits at Number 1, Ice Age: Collision Course at Number 3, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs at Number 4, Ice Age: The Meltdown at Number 6, and Ice Age: Continental Drift, the fourth movie in the series, at Number 7. The series' placement on both lists signals its success isn't slowing down anytime soon, made even more apparent by what its future holds.

The Franchise Is On The Verge Of A Major Return

While Ice Age is succeeding on streaming, it's about to have a major comeback on the big screen in just a few short months. This comes in the form of Ice Age: Boiling Point, the first theatrically-released Ice Age movie from Disney following its purchasing of 20th Century Studios. Its story follows the ever-growing Herd as they set off on a new adventure. Though not much is known about the movie, core Ice Age characters like Manny, Sid, Diego, Ellie, Crash, Eddie, and Buck Wild have been confirmed to return.

Ice Age: Boiling Point arrives in theaters on February 5, 2027. The franchise's streaming success in the meantime has afforded it plenty of eyes on Netflix, a clear sign that there's a strong interest in the series, even 10 years after its last theatrical release. It seems like the Disney-owned series is starting to enter a new era of interest, one that could spell great things for its future installments.