It took seven years for a sequel to The Croods to actually hit theaters. Seven years! In the world of animation, that’s basically an eternity. By the time The Croods: A New Age finally arrived in 2020, people weren't just asking where the story went; they were squinting at the credits to see if the original heavy hitters actually came back.
Honestly, it’s rare for a sequel with this much "development hell" to keep its A-list stars. Usually, schedules clash or budgets explode, and you end up with a "sound-alike" cast that sounds nothing like the original. But somehow, DreamWorks pulled off a minor miracle. The Croods 2 cast didn't just bring back the core family; it added some massive names that totally shifted the vibe of the franchise.
The Heavy Hitters Who Stayed Put
You can't have The Croods without Nicolas Cage. You just can’t. His frantic, "I’m-just-trying-to-keep-everyone-alive" energy as Grug is the heartbeat of the whole thing. Thankfully, Cage returned, bringing that signature gravelly voice that makes a caveman patriarch feel both terrifying and incredibly vulnerable.
Emma Stone also came back as Eep. She’s got that rasp that perfectly captures a teenage girl who’s literally outgrown her world. Alongside her, Ryan Reynolds returned as Guy. This was right in the middle of Reynolds becoming the biggest movie star on the planet, so having him back for the sequel was a huge win for the studio.
The rest of the immediate family stayed consistent too. Catherine Keener returned as Ugga, Clark Duke stayed on as Thunk, and the legendary Cloris Leachman gave us one more performance as Gran before she passed away.
The Betterman Shake-up: New Faces and Replacements
This is where things get interesting. The whole plot of the sequel revolves around meeting a "more evolved" family called the Bettermans. They have windows. They have sandals. They have privacy.
To play this smugly superior family, the producers brought in:
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- Peter Dinklage as Phil Betterman. He plays Phil with this hilariously condescending "I’m so enlightened" tone that works perfectly against Grug’s caveman antics.
- Leslie Mann as Hope Betterman. She brings that frantic, passive-aggressive "almond mom" energy that creates instant friction with Ugga.
But did you notice a change with the daughter, Dawn Betterman?
Originally, Kat Dennings was cast to play Dawn way back in 2015 when the movie was first announced. However, when the project was cancelled and then un-cancelled (it was a whole mess behind the scenes), the role was eventually recast. Kelly Marie Tran stepped in to play Dawn. Tran brought a bubbly, sheltered energy to the character that ended up being the perfect foil for Emma Stone’s rough-and-tumble Eep.
Why the Sandy Recast Matters
If you’re a hardcore fan, you might have noticed Sandy sounded a bit... different. In the first movie, the biting, feral toddler was voiced by Randy Thom. For the sequel, Kailey Crawford took over the role.
Why? Well, Randy Thom is actually a legendary sound designer, not a traditional voice actor. He did the grunts and growls for Sandy in 2013. But in A New Age, Sandy has a few more "human" moments, and Kailey Crawford (who is actually the daughter of the film's director, Joel Crawford) stepped in to give the character a bit more of a distinct personality while keeping the feral edge.
Is the Croods 2 Cast Better Than the Original?
That's kinda a trick question. The first movie was about survival and family. The sequel is a flat-out comedy of manners.
The addition of the Bettermans changed the dynamic from "us against the world" to "us against the neighbors." This gave the cast more room to play with dialogue. The chemistry between Nicolas Cage and Peter Dinklage is arguably the best part of the movie. They represent two different versions of masculinity—one that wants to punch a problem and one that wants to "synergize" it away.
Behind the Scenes Drama
Let’s be real: this movie almost didn't happen. Universal Pictures took over DreamWorks, and for a while, The Croods 2 was dead in the water. The fact that they kept the Croods 2 cast mostly intact during that transition is wild.
Most of the voice work was actually finished during the 2020 lockdowns. Actors were recording their lines in closets and home studios. If you listen closely, you can't even tell. It’s a testament to the sound engineers that Nicolas Cage sounding like a caveman in his pajamas at home still sounds like a cinematic experience.
Key Takeaways for Fans
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of prehistoric animation, here’s how to actually appreciate the work this cast put in:
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- Watch the credits: Look for the "Punch Monkeys." Many of the side characters and creature sounds are voiced by the same people who did the storyboards, including the director himself.
- Compare the Bettermans: If you watch the first movie and then the second, pay attention to the "modern" slang the Bettermans use. It’s a deliberate choice by Dinklage and Mann to make them sound like they’re from 2020, not the Stone Age.
- Check out the spin-offs: If you love the characters but miss the specific voices, be careful. The Netflix and Hulu shows (Dawn of the Croods and The Croods: Family Tree) usually use different voice actors who specialize in mimicking the movie stars.
The Croods 2 cast succeeded because they didn't just phone it in for a paycheck. They leaned into the absurdity of the "pre-modern" world, making a movie about cavemen feel surprisingly relatable to anyone who has ever had an annoying neighbor.
Next Steps for Your Movie Night
- Check out the "Making of" featurettes on the Blu-ray to see Ryan Reynolds and Emma Stone recording their sessions.
- Compare the voice acting in the movie to the Family Tree TV series to see how well the replacement actors mimic the original A-list stars.