As introduced in 2009’s Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, reckless adventurer Buckminster Wild has tangled with many a beast and obstacle that stood in his way. Voiced by actor Simon Pegg, the lovable weasel has been featured in adventures that saw him making friends and enemies throughout the Ice Age world. Now fronting the franchise’s debut as part of the original Disney+ movies library, The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild, Pegg’s legacy character finds himself in a unique position after over a decade of antics.
While director John C. Donkin’s Ice Age installment does see some of our old friends tagging along for the ride as well, the center of this adventure does focus heavily on Buck. With some changes happening in his life since 2016’s Ice Age: Collision Course, Simon Pegg’s character has some new textures to bring to life in this Disney+ exclusive sequel. As he spoke with CinemaBlend, on behalf of the press day for The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild, Pegg made these observations on how his role has changed in its latest incarnation:
I think this film sees Buck a little more grown up, because he kind of has to be in order to take care of Crash and Eddie, who are even more juvenile than he is. He’s a parent, you know; he’s got Bronwyn, his pumpkin, who’s growing up every day. And also we learn about his relationship with Zee, played by Justina, who is sort of Buck’s counterpart. She’s a Zorilla, and she’s as capable, as heroic, and slightly more sane than Buck. We’ve seen him grow as a character, and it’s been really nice to play that progression.
Part of those concerns for Buck’s sanity definitely play into those new developments in The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild. With a home life that’s seen him both married to “an ugly pineapple” (according to Dawn of the Dinosaurs) and adopting his pumpkin daughter Bronwyn in Collision Course, there’s certainly no stopping his active imagination. At the same time, those parenting skills are being put to good use, as Crash (Vincent Tong) and Eddie (Aaron Harris) think they’re ready to move out into the prehistoric world by themselves. Thankfully, when they’re absolutely proven wrong, it’s at a point where Buck can swoop in and save the day.
Some of the backstory to Simon Pegg’s increasingly important character is also filled in with the fifth Ice Age follow-up. Revealing that Buck Wild used to run with a squad of heroes protecting the Lost World, we’re treated to a reunion with one of those friends in the inclusion of Justina Machado’s character Zee the Zorilla. While she’s so mysterious that her backstory makes for an easy Ice Age sequel pitch, what’s readily clear is the fact that Zee’s return helps Buck face his past and become a better leader/teammate.
The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild most notably sees Mr. Pegg relishing his part to play in this prehistoric adventure comedy. A figure that can easily scale from a featured sidekick to a cameo for a moment in Ice Age: Continental Drift, Buck Wild is always a welcome sight to see. If the road ahead means there’s more adventures produced for this landmark CGI franchise, it’s almost assumed that Simon Pegg will be game to continue doing his part to make it all work. Provided, of course, that Pegg’s upcoming movie slate allows, and that he doesn’t have a hard time finding another babysitter for his pumpkin.
Every Ice Age movie is currently streaming on Disney+, including The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild. You can next hear Simon Pegg in the animated film Luck, which is set to premiere August 5th through Apple TV+. To see what 2022 movie releases will compete with this and other releases throughout the year, the full calendar awaits every cinematic adventurer who dares to seek it.
