The return of the Fab 4

Ray Romano, John Leguizamo and Denis Leary return to voice our three heroes: Manny, Sid, and Diego. Our trio is still together and enjoying the perks of their now melting world. Manny may be ready to start a family, but nobody has seen another mammoth for a long time; Manny thinks he may be the last one. That is, until he miraculously finds Ellie (voiced by Queen Latifah), the only female mammoth left in the world.

Manny, Sid, and Diego quickly learn that the warming climate has a major drawback: A huge glacial dam holding off oceans of water is about to break, threatening the entire valley. The only chance of survival lies at the other end of the valley. So our three heroes, along with Ellie, form the most unlikely family - in any "Age" - as they embark on a mission across an ever-changing, increasingly dangerous landscape towards their salvation.

Ray Romano, John Leguizamo and Denis Leary welcomed their return to the world of "Ice Age."

"I love Manny as a character, and I love playing him," Romano says. "His values and spirit are terrific. He's a curmudgeon with a big chip on his shoulder and a tough exterior. But underneath that, he's all warm and fuzzy - for a mammoth, at least."

"The idea of romance gives Manny a twinkle in his eye," concludes Romano.

John Leguizamo was eager to explore new facets of Sid. "There was still unfinished business left over from 'Ice Age' that I was eager to get into," says the actor, known for both his work in hit movies, like "Moulin Rouge!" as well as his provocative stand-up concert films. "I wanted to re-create that same lovable character but take him to another level."

The actor pondered Sid's principal dilemma. "He wants respect, to be taken seriously," says Leguizamo. "That's his quest."

Sid's path is closely tied to Diego's, as the sloth helps Diego deal with his fear of the water. The filmmakers and Denis Leary worked hard on the character's story arc, connecting it to Sid's, and thus giving new dimensions to both characters. "Diego and Sid are like brothers," says Leary, "and Manny's the older brother."

Like Romano and Leguizamo, Leary found much to explore with his character in ICE AGE: THE MELTDOWN. "Ray Romano gets the films' emotional moments, John the funny ones, but Diego makes it all happen," says Leary. "Diego is still a leader - smart and strong, but he thinks he may be getting 'soft' because of his fear of the water."

Now showing in theaters nationwide, ICE AGE 2: THE MELTDOWN is a 20th Century Fox film to be distributed by Warner Bros. in theaters nationwide.