It's the money, obviously.

No— we chide. But those movies are surprisingly lucrative. Like, almost ludicrously profitable. As of 2026, the Ice Age franchise has raked in $3,216,708,553 at the box office, according to Wikipedia. That's a lot of cold, hard cash. Let's hope that everyone involved has been properly compensated. 

Ray Romano has been there from the beginning, leading the herd as Manny, the woolly mammoth, a mainstay of each Ice Age movie. It's given him something to share with his kids. And it's given him a new challenge, compared to stand-up and sitcom success. While one of his earliest TV roles was voicing a character on Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist, he was a guest on that show. In 2002 and onward, though, Romano would be top-billed, steering the stampede to box office glory.

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While sitcom chemistry was already a tool in Romano's belt, recording lines in a booth by himself was a horse of a different feather.

"I just find these movies fascinating, because, you know, I record my parts alone, without meeting any of the other cast members, and that means, when the movie finally comes out, it’s all pretty new to me too."

On the set of Everybody Loves Raymond, Romano developed real friendships with his castmates, like acting legend Peter Boyle. However, Ice Age didn't afford him the same opportunity, as the movie was made in isolation.

“It’s pretty crazy, having rapport with someone you’ve never met— I get to snuggle up with Queen Latifah in this one— but then again, these are the times we live in, right? People are snuggling up with each other over the internet all the time, without ever having actually met face-to-face. So, in many ways, I’m a pioneer of our times…”