"THE CROODS" 2?

While "The Croods" is about discovering ourselves, leaving our comfort zone and learning to let go of loved ones, Cage warned against seeing the action-packed comedy as too much more.

"For me to go about any movie as a message movie is going about it the wrong way," said the 49-year-old, whose prolific career has spanned action, arthouse and romance and included a best actor Oscar for the 1995 film "Leaving Las Vegas".

"To me it's more reflection, to be a mirror in some way of what we are feeling as families all over the world."

"The Croods" has been nearly a decade in the making, and is the first title by DreamWorks, behind hit franchises like "Kung Fu Panda" and "Madagascar", to be distributed by 20th Century Fox after the deal with Paramount Pictures ended.

Asked whether it could form the basis of another lucrative series, co-director Chris Sanders said he had so much extra material left on the cutting room floor from the first movie that it would be relatively easy to do if required.

Cage added: "I would like to see another adventure with the Croods."

With its end-of-the-world atmosphere, and news on Friday of a meteor exploding over central Russia, the cast were asked what their final film project might be if they knew the end was nigh.

"What haven't I done yet?" Cage replied. "I'd like to be in a musical. I think I'd do a musical if it was the last movie I ever did in the world, singing and dancing while everything is exploding."