With this week’s release of “Ice Age: Collision Course”, this 20th Century FOX/Blue Sky Studios animated franchise becomes the first in theatrical movie history to release five installments, with none of them being spinoffs. Spanning 14 years, with predecessors in ’02, ’06, ’09 and ’12, the “Ice Age” series is closing-in on $3 Billion worldwide, with “Collision Course” already a big hit overseas.
The next-closest franchise to “Ice Age” in terms of number of installments is the “Shrek” series, with four films (’01-’10) and a “Puss in Boots” spinoff in 2011. DreamWorks Animation was recently bought by NBC/Universal, which also distributes Illumination Entertainment films. Their “Despicable Me” series will be up to 4 films next June with the release of “DM3”, following the first two “DM” blockbusters and “Minions” prequel. CEO Chris Meledandri has hinted about wanting to, somehow, revive Shrek on the big screen. UPDATE: He has announced “Shrek 5” for 2019.
DWA’s other trilogies include “Kung Fu Panda” and “Madagascar”, which also had a 2014 “Penguins” spinoff. “How to Train Your Dragon 3” is set for May 2018. Pixar’s “Toy Story” trilogy will be adding a No. 4 (whether we want it or not) in June 2018, and “Cars 3” is coming even sooner – June 2017.
Nickelodeon’s phenomenon SpongeBob has had two silver screen adventures, with a third set for 2019. Their “Rugrats” gang appeared in theaters on three times (’98, ’00, ’03). There are no current plans to add to that franchise.
Sony Pictures Animation has made four “Open Season” films over the past decade, though the latter three were direct-to-DVD releases. Their “Hotel Transylvania” series will add a third big-screen installment in 2018.
The makers of “The LEGO Movie” are currently working on both “The LEGO Batman Movie” (Feb. 2017) and “The LEGO Movie 2” (Feb. 2019). Both will be blockbusters.
As for the oldest, theatrical, feature-length animated movie franchise ever, that would be willy, nilly, silly ol’ Winnie-the-Pooh. 1977’s “The Many Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh” was a collection of four classic shorts combined as a theatrical feature. Revived installments from DisneyToon Studios followed: “The Tigger Movie” (’00), “Piglet’s Big Movie” (’03) and “Pooh’s Heffalump Movie” (’05). 2011’s delightful “Winnie the Pooh” marked the franchise’s return to Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Sources: Box Office Mojo, IMDB, Animated Views