Scrat (2023 film)

Scrat is a 2023 computer-animated adventure comedy film directed by Joshua Sternin, in his feature directorial debut, with a screenplay by Ray DeLaurentis. It serves as the spin-off/prequel in the Ice Age franchise. The film stars the voices of Chris Wedge, Karen Disher, Kari Wahlgren, Stephanie Beatriz, Jimmy Kimmel, America Ferrera, Dean Edwards, Michael Gough, Zac Efron & Timothy Spall.

The computer animation for the film was provided by Pixar's RenderMan, who had also provided animation for 2022's Ice Age: Scrat Tales.

The film received generally positive reviews from critics who praised its animation, themes, voice acting, humor, Sternin’s direction, musical score, human characters, and satisfying conclusion of the series. It was also deemed a significant improvement over its predecessor and was considered to be the best spin-off/prequel of the Ice Age franchise. The film was became an box-office success and it had grossed over $588 million worldwide against a total production budget of $169 million.

Premise
Some time after the events of Ice Age: Scrat Tales, Scrat and the rest of his family recruiting his across of the ice, after the pack of the human squirrel hunters accidentaly dropped by the chunk of the ices (including Scrat, Scratte and Baby Scrat) who follows the island in 20,000 years later, until both are escaping the island and encountered into the New York City. Scrat, Scratte & Baby Scrat who meet an wise-cracking zebra named Buddy (Kimmel) decides his experience of the town. Besides Scrat & his trio who kidnapped by the new squirrel hunters, instead of the old prehistoric squirrel hunters. Until the awakening of the squirrel hunters, William (Spall), Bill (Gough) and Stephen (Efron) finds out the three squirrels and an zebra. After the saving the day while Scrat, Scratte, Baby Scrat and the zebra, Buddy are save the world and defeat the squirrel hunters as well.

Cast

 * Chris Wedge as Scrat, the main protagonist of the film, Scratte's fiancé and Baby Scrat's father.
 * Karen Disher as Scratte, Scrat's fiancé and Baby Scrat's mother.
 * Kari Wahlgren as Baby Scrat, Scratte & Scrat's son.
 * Jimmy Kimmel as Buddy the Zebra, an black-and-white striped zebra from California Zoo and Scrat, Scratte & Baby Scrat's friend.
 * Stephanie Beatriz as Jenna, an 19 year-old girl who founded the California Zoo (espicially Buddy).
 * America Ferrera as Lois, Jenna's adopted cousin and she was founded the California Zoo as well.
 * Dean Edwards as Alexis The Hippo, an hippopotamus and Buddy's brother.
 * Timothy Spall as William Jacks, an squirrel hunter.
 * Michael Gough as Bill Harper, an second squirrel hunter.
 * Zac Efron as Stephen Hunt, an third squirrel hunter.

Production
After the release of Ice Age 6: The Runaway in 2021, Chris Wedge who announced the spin-off/prequel film named Scrat was streaming only on Disney+, during on April 15, 2022, Joshua Sternin direct the film after Scrat wrapped up in the storyboard began in the early-2022 on the producer, Steve Martino and Ray DeLaurentis wrote the script of the film.

Animation
The film was animated entirely in Pixar's RenderMan, same as Ice Age: Scrat Tales as well.

Music
The music was composed by Rupert Gregson-Williams back in April 3, 2023.

Release
Scrat was released as a Disney+ original movie on April 6, 2023 by Blue Sky Studios & 20th Century Animation.

Critical response
Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports the film a 93% approval rating based on the 153 reviews, and its average rating is 8.45/10. The critical consensus reads, "Very smart, very funny and very entertaining for the squirrels, Scrat is an very prime example of kids & family entertainment, and Chris Wedge, Karen Disher and Kari Wahlgren gives it his all in this one so far." Metacritic assigns the film a score of 95 out of 100, based on 49 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". Audiences polled by CinemaScore assigned the film an average grade of "A" on its A+ to F scale.

Box office
Scrat grossed $169 million in the United States and $562 million in other territories, for worldwide total of $588 million, making the new Blue Sky Studios film to become an box-office success.

Trivia
TBA