Nicolas Cage The Croods Franchise Overview
Nicolas Cage stars as Grug Crood in The Croods, a 2013 animated adventure film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The franchise expanded with a sequel, The Croods: A New Age, released in 2020, also featuring Cage as the lead voice actor. The films are based on an original story by John Cleese and Kirk DeMicco, with Cage attached from the earliest development stages. The series is part of DreamWorks Animation's broader slate, which was acquired by NBCUniversal in 2016 and is now managed under Universal Pictures. The Croods franchise generated global box office revenue exceeding $1.1 billion across the two main theatrical releases, according to public box office tracking data. Nicolas Cage The Croods remains one of the highest-grossing DreamWorks Animation franchises in the post-2013 era.
The first film, The Croods, had a production budget reported at $135 million and grossed over $587 million worldwide. The Croods: A New Age had a reported production budget of approximately $75 million and earned over $215 million globally. Nicolas Cage The Croods films are among the top-grossing DreamWorks Animation titles, ranking behind Shrek and How to Train Your Dragon in lifetime theatrical revenue. The franchise's financial performance is documented in public earnings reports and box office databases. Nicolas Cage's involvement is frequently cited in marketing materials and press releases from Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation. The films are available on streaming platforms managed by NBCUniversal, including Peacock, as part of the broader DreamWorks Animation library.
Production and Financial Structure
The Croods was directed by Chris Sanders and Kirk DeMicco, with production handled by DreamWorks Animation and distributed globally by 20th Century Fox. Nicolas Cage The Croods voice role was confirmed in 2012 during the film's marketing campaign, with Cage attached as the lead performer. The production budget for the first film was reported by Variety and other trade outlets at $135 million, covering animation, voice talent, and global distribution costs. Nicolas Cage's compensation for animated voice roles is typically structured through backend participation and fixed fees, though exact figures for The Croods are not publicly disclosed. The sequel, The Croods: A New Age, was directed by Joel Crawford and produced by DreamWorks Animation with distribution by Universal Pictures. The film's production budget was reported at approximately $75 million, reflecting lower costs than the original due to established character assets and pipelines.
DreamWorks Animation was acquired by NBCUniversal in 2016 for $3.8 billion, consolidating The Croods franchise under Comcast's entertainment division. Nicolas Cage The Croods films are now part of the Universal Pictures catalog, which manages theatrical distribution and streaming licensing. The franchise's economics are influenced by theatrical box office, home entertainment sales, and streaming licensing fees. DreamWorks Animation's annual reports and NBCUniversal's financial disclosures provide aggregate data on library content performance. Nicolas Cage's broader filmography includes roles in high-budget franchises such as Ghost Rider and National Treasure, which also generate backend revenue through streaming and television licensing. The Croods franchise continues to generate value through digital sales, television broadcasts, and merchandise licensing.
Streaming and Licensing Economics
Nicolas Cage The Croods films are available on Peacock, NBCUniversal's streaming platform, as part of the DreamWorks Animation library. Streaming rights for DreamWorks Animation titles are managed internally by NBCUniversal, with licensing windows typically following theatrical and home entertainment releases. The Croods and The Croods: A New Age are accessible to Peacock subscribers without additional transactional fees, contributing to platform retention and subscriber growth metrics. Nicolas Cage The Croods content supports Peacock's family and animation content vertical, which competes with Disney+, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video. The financial