Scrat in space, it’s not really a surprise

The creators of Ice Age are huge Star Trek fans. The proof this evening on TF1. The first channel will rebroadcast episodes 5 and 4 (yes, in order) from 9:10 p.m.

The short movie Cosmic Scrat-tastrophea key promotional element in the promotion of Laws of the universesends Scrat, the greedy squirrel The Ice Age, in the space. With his glans, obviously. A crazy idea that has been tormenting its creators for a while.

In 2012, First had met Peter de Sève, the creator of the main visuals of the animated saga, and Mike Thurmeier, the director of the fourth episode, Continental Drift. The exchange had been geekier than expected. Excerpts from their discussion moderated by Gaël Golhen and available in full – with original drawings by Peter – in the First No. 424.

What is the working process and when do you enter the loop?
TO FART : My job is to imagine the design of the new characters. The first step, for me, is to get the script. As I have been working on the franchise since the beginning, I had the right to take a look at one of the very first versions of the script. From there, I pored over my science books and looked at what fossils were still available to create new characters.
Mike: There shouldn’t be much left…
TO FART : You do not know how right you are ! Casually, in four episodes, we plundered all the breeds of prehistoric animals. (…)
Mike: Peter has a lot of room to maneuver, both in casting and design. Even from a stylistic point of view, he was never asked to be too “realistic”, for example.

For what ?
TO FART : One day, I asked a paleontologist friend who his favorite character was. The Ice Age. When he answered Scrat, I was vaccinated, I stopped worrying about the realism of the series.

After recognizing that the “Hyrax”, new creatures of Ice Age 4looked a bit like the Ewoks of Star Wars (“It’s funny you say that because we used Ewok screams for their temporary voice”, explained the director), the duo admitted to loving science fiction. The opportunity to ask them… if Ice Age 5 could happen in space!

Mike: Peter is a trekkie.
TO FART : “Was” would be the right word. For ten years, there has been no reason to be interested in Star Trek.

And the JJ Abrams film?
TO FART : (Big silence.) …

You don’t want to start this conversation, it seems.
TO FART : I even want to close the subject immediately. (Laugh.)

Have you ever fantasized about a crossover Scrat-Star Trek ?
TO FART : Are you sending me a subliminal message, by any chance?

I really wonder what Scrat giving a salute would look like Vulcan…
TO FART : Don’t push your luck too much. (Laugh.) To that ?

You went underground (Ice Age 3), on the water (Ice Age 4)… The next stage, it has to be space, right?
TO FART : We always slipped in clues about the sequels, sometimes even unconsciously. In the first film, at one point, the trio enters a cave and discovers a frozen T-Rex and… a spaceship. We could also hear the music of Star Trek. It was from me.
Mike: Animation is full of geeks.
TO FART : A real bunch of kids!

Three years later, Scrat actually points the tip of his snout into space. Here is the video:

Ice Age 5 will be broadcast on Sunday evening for the first time unencrypted on TF1. His pitch? “Scrat’s ongoing quest to catch his elusive nut catapults him into space, where he accidentally triggers a series of cosmic events that will transform and threaten the Ice Age world. To save their skins, Sid, Manny , Diego and the rest of the gang will have to leave their home and embark on a new adventure full of comedy, traveling to exotic new lands and meeting a cast of colorful characters.

Trailer :

Ice Age: The Laws of the Universe, it’s time to move on