It was confirmed via Variety that DreamWorks was resuming production on the sequel, with new owner Universal Pictures reassigning it to be released on September 18, 2020. Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Cloris Leachman, and Clark Duke are set to return to voice their characters and will be joined by Leslie Mann (Mr. Peabody & Sherman).
The first Croods movie, released back in 2013 by 20th Century Fox, was met with positive reviews, earned $587 million worldwide, and was nominated the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature (losing to Disney’s Frozen). It later spawned an animated Netflix series titled Dawn of the Croods, which serves as a prequel.
DreamWorks has also scheduled a new original movie called Spooky Jack, which is releasing the year after on September 17, 2021. Written by Night at the Museum writer Robert Ben Garant, the premise centers on three siblings who encounter leprechauns, Big Foot, and the Boogeyman in their new home. This has a bit of a Monsters Inc. vibe to it, but who knows how it’ll turn out.
Back onto The Croods 2 however, there is no announcement on who will be directing or writing it. For the original directors/writers, Kirk DeMicco has moved on to direct Vivo for Sony Pictures Animation, and it is unknown if Chris Sanders will return. But regardless of who helms it, I do wish DreamWorks the best in completing the long-awaited sequel. As said by storyboard artist Simon Wells (who was boarding on the sequel’s initial production) in my past interview with him, he promises that this and How to Train Your Dragon 3 will be “terrific”.
