The Croods: Where Are The Voices Now? The A-List Cast That Brought The Cave Family To Life

The Croods franchise, spanning two blockbuster films and a popular streaming series, owes its enduring charm to a remarkable ensemble of voice actors who brought the prehistoric family's adventures to life. As of today, December 18, 2025, the core voice cast from the original films remains one of the most star-studded in modern animation, featuring Oscar winners and Hollywood's biggest names.

The journey of the Crood family, from their dark cave to a brighter "Tomorrow," is a testament to the powerful chemistry between these actors. While the main movie cast is iconic, the spin-off series, The Croods: Family Tree, introduced a new, dedicated group of voice talent, creating a fascinating dual-cast dynamic that is common in long-running animated franchises. This deep dive explores the A-list voices, the dedicated TV cast, and the latest updates on the Croods universe.

The A-List Voice Cast of The Croods Movies (2013 & 2020)

The two major theatrical releases, The Croods (2013) and its sequel, The Croods: A New Age (2020), featured a powerhouse lineup of celebrity voice actors. Their involvement was key to the films' global success, which earned nearly $800 million worldwide. The biographical profiles below highlight the main cast members for the films.

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• Nicolas Cage (Grug Crood): An Academy Award-winning actor known for a wide range of films, from dramatic roles like Leaving Las Vegas to action hits like National Treasure. Cage brought a unique blend of exaggerated fear and deep paternal love to the family patriarch, Grug.
• Emma Stone (Eep Crood): Another Academy Award winner, celebrated for her roles in La La Land and Poor Things. Stone voiced Eep, the rebellious and curious teenage daughter who longs for adventure outside the cave.
• Ryan Reynolds (Guy): A highly successful actor, producer, and entrepreneur, famous for the Deadpool franchise and his witty, charming persona. Reynolds voiced Guy, the resourceful and evolutionarily advanced boy who introduces the Croods to "ideas."
• Catherine Keener (Ugga Crood): A two-time Academy Award nominee known for independent and character-driven films like Being John Malkovich and Capote. Keener voiced Ugga, the pragmatic and protective mother.
• Clark Duke (Thunk Crood): An actor and comedian known for roles in Kick-Ass and Hot Tub Time Machine. Duke voiced Thunk, the sweet, somewhat clumsy middle child.
• Cloris Leachman (Gran): A legendary, Oscar and Emmy-winning actress with a career spanning over seven decades. Leachman voiced Gran, the fiercely old and hilariously tough grandmother, until her passing in 2021.
• Leslie Mann (Hope Betterman): A comedic actress known for her collaborations with Judd Apatow, such as Knocked Up. Mann voiced Hope Betterman, the sophisticated mother of the rival family in the sequel.
• Peter Dinklage (Phil Betterman): An Emmy and Golden Globe winner, globally recognized for his role as Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones. Dinklage voiced Phil Betterman, the patriarch of the technologically advanced Betterman family.

Behind the Mic: The Unique Voices and Casting Secrets

The success of the Croods family dynamic lies in the actors' ability to inject their own personalities into their prehistoric counterparts. The voice work for the films was not just a simple reading of lines; it involved deep character interpretation and finding the perfect vocal texture for cave-dwelling life.

Nicolas Cage’s Interpretation of Grug’s Fear

Nicolas Cage, in a press conference, described his approach to Grug as a character driven by an "exaggerated fight-or-flight response." He noted that at Grug's core, he is an over-protective father whose conservative nature stems from a genuine fear of the unknown. This interpretation allowed Cage to use his famously intense and expressive voice to convey both the character's booming caveman shouts and his tender, vulnerable moments as a father. Cage also mentioned his love for animation and how he had previously turned down a part in Shrek, making his commitment to Grug a notable career choice.

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Emma Stone’s Husky Voice and Inspiration

Emma Stone's voice for Eep, the adventurous and rebellious teenage cave girl, was a perfect fit for the character's rambunctious and brave spirit. Stone, who was already a famous actress when she took on the role, brought a husky, distinct vocal quality that helped define Eep’s fierce independence. She even revealed that her voice-acting process for The Croods: A New Age was inspired by Monica Geller from the sitcom Friends, demonstrating the surprising influences that shape animated performances.

Ryan Reynolds’ Signature Charm as Guy

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Ryan Reynolds, known for his quick wit and charm, infused his character, Guy, with his classic, appealing persona. Guy is the "modern" human who introduces the Croods to new "ideas" like fire and shoes, making his smooth, confident voice a stark contrast to Grug's guttural tones. Behind-the-scenes clips of the making of the sequel show Reynolds in the sound booth, bringing his famous charisma to the animated character. Interestingly, the role of Guy was initially cast with Zachary Levi before Reynolds took over, a common occurrence in the long development cycle of animated features.

The Dual-Cast Dynamic: Why the Voices Changed for The Croods: Family Tree

Fans who transitioned from the blockbuster films to the popular DreamWorks Animation television series, The Croods: Family Tree, noticed a significant change in the voice cast. This is a crucial detail for topical authority and is a common practice in the industry.

The television series, which ran for eight seasons and has recently concluded, features a new, dedicated ensemble of voice actors. This change is primarily due to the practicalities of producing a long-running animated show versus a high-budget feature film.

The original A-list actors like Nicolas Cage and Emma Stone command high fees and have demanding film schedules that make it difficult to commit to the continuous recording required for a multi-season TV show. Producers for the TV series often cite "budget considerations" as a factor, as hiring a full-time, dedicated voice cast is more feasible for a streaming budget.

The Dedicated Voice Cast of The Croods: Family Tree

The new cast successfully captured the essence of the characters for the streaming audience, ensuring the Croods' adventures continued seamlessly.

• Kiff VandenHeuvel (Grug Crood): Took over the role of the family patriarch and also voiced other entities like the Lightning Bolt and Scorpulion.
• Ally Dixon (Eep Crood): Became the voice of the adventurous Eep, carrying on the character's spirit from Emma Stone's portrayal.
• Amy Landecker (Ugga Crood): Stepped into the role of the pragmatic mother Ugga.
• AJ Locascio (Thunk Crood): Voiced the lovable middle child, Thunk.
• Darin Brooks (Guy): Took over the voice of Guy, continuing his role as Eep’s partner and the family’s source of "ideas."
• Abby Trott (Dawn Betterman): Replaced Kelly Marie Tran for the later seasons of the series, demonstrating another instance of voice recasting within the TV show itself.

The Future of the Franchise: Where Do the Voices Go from Here?

The Croods franchise has maintained a strong presence in popular culture since the first film's release in 2013. The animated series The Croods: Family Tree has recently concluded, bringing the Crood family's adventures on the small screen to an end.

As of late 2025, there has been no official confirmation from DreamWorks Animation regarding a third theatrical film, The Croods 3. While fan speculation and some unverified online sources have mentioned potential release dates, the studio has remained silent on a sequel. The main voice cast—Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, and Ryan Reynolds—are all currently focused on numerous other high-profile projects, making a reunion for a third film a matter of scheduling and studio decision-making.

However, given the franchise's enduring popularity and its strong performance on streaming platforms, it is highly likely that DreamWorks will eventually return to the Croods family. If a third film is greenlit, fans would undoubtedly expect the return of the original, star-studded movie cast to reprise their iconic voice roles as Grug, Eep, and Guy, continuing the evolution of the world's favorite prehistoric family.