Watch Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs: In Character with Ray Romano

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is a 2009 animated adventure-comedy film directed by Carlos Saldanha. In this third installment of the Ice Age franchise, we see our beloved trio of Manny the mammoth, Sid the sloth, and Diego the saber-toothed tiger embark on yet another thrilling adventure. When Sid discovers a trio of dinosaur eggs underground and decides to take care of them as his own, he sets on a journey that will lead him to a mysterious underground world filled with dinosaurs. Upon realizing that Sid is missing, his friends Manny and Diego set out to find him and rescue him from the dangers of this new world. With fan-favorite characters like Scrat, the saber-toothed squirrel, and a host of new and exciting characters such as Buck the weasel and mommy dinosaur, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is a fun-filled ride that the whole family can enjoy.

Ray Romano, who voices the lovable Manny in the Ice Age franchise, sits down to give us an inside look at the making of this movie. Romano tells us that what he loves about Manny is that he's kind of a "grumpy guy," but with a "soft center." Through the course of the franchise, we see Manny's character grow and develop, and this third movie is no different. Manny and his wife Ellie are expecting their first child, which brings a new dimension to the character. Romano says that this movie allowed him to "dig a little deeper" into Manny's emotional side.

The movie takes us to a completely new environment: a subterranean world ruled by dinosaurs. Romano jokes that the movie should've been titled "Ice Age: Journey to the Center of the Earth," but he's glad they went with "Dawn of the Dinosaurs." The underground world was a completely new challenge for the animators and creators of the film, and Romano was impressed with the level of detail they put into it. He describes it as "almost like an alien planet."

One of the new characters introduced in this movie is Buck, a weasel who serves as a guide for Manny, Sid, and Diego in the underground world. Buck is voiced by Simon Pegg, whom Romano describes as "hilarious." He talks about how Pegg improvised a lot of his lines and brought a lot of humor to the character. Buck has a tragic backstory, having lost his eye to Rudy, a giant dinosaur who serves as the main antagonist of the movie. Rudy is a ferocious creature who is constantly chasing after Manny and his friends, and Romano jokes that he's glad he doesn't have to fight him.

Another new character is mommy dinosaur, who adopts Sid's three dinosaur eggs as her own. Romano says that this storyline is one of his favorites in the movie, because it shows Sid's maternal side. In previous movies, Sid was always the comic relief, but in this movie, we see a different side of him. Romano praises John Leguizamo's performance as Sid, saying that he brings a lot of heart to the character.

Of course, no Ice Age movie would be complete without Scrat, the saber-toothed squirrel who is always after his beloved acorn. In this movie, Scrat has his own subplot, as he discovers a hidden world inside a ice block, where he meets a female squirrel named Scratte. Romano jokes that Scrat's storyline is like "Ice Age: The Dating Game." He says that Scrat is one of his favorite characters in the franchise, because he's "so single-minded" and "so determined."

Overall, Romano says that he's proud to have been a part of the Ice Age franchise. He talks about how the movies have a universal appeal, and how he's constantly surprised by how much people of all ages love them. He jokes that his children are "sick of him" because they've seen the movies so many times, but he's glad that he's been able to make something that families can enjoy together. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is a fun, action-packed ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat. With its lovable characters and exciting storyline, it's sure to be a hit with audiences of all ages.