Disney Switches Out December 2026 'Star Wars' Film For Sixth 'Ice Age'
Nobody in the stars was ready, so the animated film comes in from the cold for the cold season
A Knight off can have dire consequences. Disney has pulled what was the second Star Wars movie scheduled for 2026, which had been pegged for December 18, and replaced it with the sixth Ice Age film, which was announced a week ago at D23 Brazil.
No Star Wars film developed well enough to actually secure that release date, though it is widely believed that the lead was Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s that continues the story of Daisy Ridley’s Rey Skywalker, who had been the main character of the sequel trilogy released from 2015 to 2019 every odd December, as she builds a new Jedi Order. However, the film hit a major roadblock after writer Steven Knight departed and has seemingly been reset in progress to levels seen in the other living films in development like Dave Filoni’s Mandoverse closer, James Mangold’s about the Dawn of the Jedi, Donald Glover’s Lando Calrissian-starrer that began as a series, and Patty Jenkins’s Rogue Squadron which has defied death.
Of course, then there’s the recently-announced trilogy written and produced by Rebels co-creator Simon Kinberg with studio chief Kathleen Kennedy. Any of these projects could be the future of Star Wars still, but that’s after the one film that is secure in its spot, and that’s The Mandalorian & Grogu, directed by Jon Favreau. It is the 2026 film that ensures the franchise’s return to the big screen with its May 22, 2026 release date.
Replacing it? The sixth Ice Age film, announced last week at D23 Brazil. A plot isn’t known yet but will see a returning cast of John Leguizamo as Sid, Ray Romano as Manny, Denis Leary as Diego, Queen Latifah as Manny’s wife Ellie, Simon Pegg, as Buck Wild, and Chris Wedge as Scrat. Baby Scrat is making their feature film debut with Kari Wahlgren expected to return. Another troubled tentpole film, Marvel Studios’s Blade iteration, was pulled in October in favor of the continuation of another franchise acquired in the Fox deal, Predator: Badlands. The Star Wars-reserved December 17, 2027 spot, the equivalent weekend the following year, is untouched.
Source: Deadline