''Madagascar'' is an American computer-animated media franchise owned and produced by DreamWorks Animation. The voices of

Ben Stiller Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller (born November 30, 1965) is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He is the son of the comedians and actors Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. Stiller was a member of a group of comedic actors colloquially known ...

, Chris Rock,

David Schwimmer David Lawrence Schwimmer (born November 2, 1966) is an American actor, director and producer. He gained worldwide recognition for portraying Ross Geller in the sitcom ''Friends'', for which he received a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Primeti ...

and

Jada Pinkett Smith Jada Koren Pinkett Smith (; née Pinkett; born September 18, 1971) is an American actress and talk show host. She is co-host of the Facebook Watch talk show '' Red Table Talk'', for which she has received a Daytime Emmy Award. ''Time'' name ...

are featured in the films. It began with the 2005 film ''

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

'', the 2008 sequel '' Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa'' and the third film '' Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted'' in 2012. A spin off film featuring the penguins, titled ''

Penguins of Madagascar ''Penguins of Madagascar'' (also known as ''Penguins of Madagascar: The Movie'') is a 2014 American computer-animated spy action comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by 20th Century Fox. Starring the voices of Tom McGr ...

'', was released in 2014. A fourth film, ''Madagascar 4'', was announced for 2018, but has since been removed from its schedule due to the studio's restructuring. The overall plot through the series follows the adventures of four anthropomorphic Central Park Zoo animals who have spent their lives in blissful captivity and are unexpectedly shipped back to

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

(to

initially). Now they must struggle to survive while attempting to return to

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

with the help of a crafty cadre of penguins and with many other characters along the way. The franchise's films have received mixed-to-positive critical reviews.

Films

Main films

''Madagascar'' (2005)

'' is a 2005 computer animated comedy film and the first film in the series. Directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath, the film tells the story of four Central Park Zoo animals: Alex the lion (

), Marty the zebra ( Chris Rock), Melman the giraffe (

) and Gloria the hippo (

). These animals have spent their lives in comfortable captivity and are unexpectedly shipwrecked on the island of

. The film was a commercial success, grossing over $532 million worldwide.

''Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa'' (2008)

'' Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa'' is a 2008 computer animated comedy/adventure film and the sequel to the 2005 film ''Madagascar''. Directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath, the film continues the adventures of Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria, try to fly back to New York, but they crash-land in Africa, where Alex is reunited with his parents Zuba (

Bernie Mac Bernard Jeffrey McCullough (October 5, 1957 – August 9, 2008), better known by his stage name Bernie Mac, was an American comedian and actor. Born and raised on Chicago's South Side, Mac gained popularity as a stand-up comedian. He joined fell ...

) and Florrie (

Sherri Shepherd Sherri Shepherd (born April 22, 1967) is an American actress, comedian, author, broadcaster, and television personality. She currently hosts the daily syndicated daytime talk show, '' Sherri''. From 2007 to 2014, Shepherd was a co-host of the da ...

). However, a lion named Makunga ( Alec Baldwin) is planning to overthrow Zuba and become alpha lion. The film grossed over $603 million worldwide, which is higher than its predecessor.

''Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted'' (2012)

'' Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted'' is a 2012 computer animated comedy film, and the third installment in the series, directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath, along with

Conrad Vernon Conrad Vernon (born July 11, 1968) is an American voice actor, director, writer, and storyboard artist best known for his work on the DreamWorks animated film series ''Shrek'' as well as other films such as '' Monsters vs. Aliens'', '' Madagascar ...

. Alex, Marty, Gloria and Melman are still struggling to get home to New York. This time, their journey takes them to Europe where they purchase a failing traveling circus as they become close friends with the staff like Stefano the sea lion ( Martin Short), Vitaly the tiger (

Bryan Cranston Bryan Lee Cranston (born March 7, 1956) is an American actor and director who is best known for portraying Walter White in the AMC crime drama series ''Breaking Bad'' (2008–2013) and Hal in the Fox sitcom ''Malcolm in the Middle'' (2000–20 ...

), Gia the jaguar ( Jessica Chastain) and Sonya the bear ( Frank Welker), King Julien's (

Sacha Baron Cohen Sacha Noam Baron Cohen (born 13 October 1971) is an English actor, comedian, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known for his creation and portrayal of the fictional satirical characters Ali G, Borat Sagdiyev, Brüno Gehard, and Admiral ...

) true love. Together, they spectacularly revitalize the business even as the fanatical Monaco Animal Control officer Captain Chantel DuBois (

Frances McDormand Frances Louise McDormand (born Cynthia Ann Smith; June 23, 1957) is an American actress and producer. Throughout her career spanning over four decades, McDormand has received numerous accolades, including four Academy Awards, two Primetime Emm ...

) relentlessly pursues them. In the end, the zoo animals finally get back to New York, only to find that they have grown too much in spirit to return to captivity and decide to stay with the circus instead. The film grossing over $746 million worldwide, marking the highest-grossing film in the series.

''Madagascar 4'' (TBA)

DreamWorks Animation CEO

Jeffrey Katzenberg Jeffrey Katzenberg (; born December 21, 1950) is an American filmmaker, animator, and media proprietor. He became well known for his tenure as chairman of Walt Disney Studios from 1984 to 1994. After departing Disney, he was a co-founder and C ...

has stated that there is likely to be a fourth installment in the franchise stating: "Ultimately they will come back to New York and they will come to terms with that, which they will do in this next chapter. Because of the way that movie concludes there’s probably one more for them." However, in June 2012, DreamWorks Animation's head of worldwide marketing, Anne Globe, said, "It's too early to tell. There hasn't been a lot of discussion about that." Eric Darnell, who co-directed all three films, spoke of the possibility of the fourth film, noting, "Two things have to happen. One is that the world has to want ''Madagascar 4'', because if they don't want it, it doesn't matter what we do. And the other thing is even if the world wants ''Madagascar 4'', we have to make sure that we have an idea that is incredible, that is great, that is unexpected. If the audience wants it and we have a great idea, we will see – maybe." On June 12, 2014, the film was scheduled to be released on May 18, 2018. In January 2015, ''Madagascar 4'' was removed from the release schedule following corporate restructuring and DreamWorks Animation's new policy to release two films a year. In April 2017, Tom McGrath said about the film: "There are things in the works, nothing is announced yet, but I think they'll show their faces once more..."

Spin-off film

''Penguins of Madagascar'' (2014)

A spin-off film featuring the penguins had been in the works since 2005, when the first ''Madagascar'' film had been released, with a release date planned for 2009. In March 2011, it was announced that the penguin characters would be given their own feature film, similar to the 2011 ''

Puss in Boots "Puss in Boots" ( it, Il gatto con gli stivali) is an Italian fairy tale, later spread throughout the rest of Europe, about an anthropomorphic cat who uses trickery and deceit to gain power, wealth, and the hand of a princess in marriage for ...

'' movie, to be directed by Simon J. Smith (the co-director of ''

Bee Movie ''Bee Movie'' is a 2007 American computer-animated comedy film co-produced by DreamWorks Animation SKG and Columbus 81 Productions, and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film was directed by Simon J. Smith and Steve Hickner (in the fo ...

''), produced by

Lara Breay Lara Breay is a feature film producer whose credits include ''Tropic Thunder'', ''Penguins of Madagascar'', ''Blades of Glory'', ''Megamind ''Megamind'' is a 2010 American computer-animated superhero comedy film produced by DreamWorks ...

and written by Alan J. Schoolcraft and Brent Simons (the writers of DreamWorks' '' Megamind''). In July 2012, at

Comic-Con A comic book convention or comic-con is an event with a primary focus on comic books and comic book culture, in which comic book fans gather to meet creators, experts, and each other. Commonly, comic conventions are multi-day events hosted at co ...

, it was announced that the film, titled ''The Penguins of Madagascar'', would be released in 2015. Robert Schooley, one of the producers of ''The Penguins'' series, said that the film will be unrelated to the TV series of the same name, but he did say that could always change. In September 2012,

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...

and DreamWorks Animation announced the release date for March 27, 2015, and a new pair of writers,

Michael Colton Michael Colton (born 1975) is an American screenwriter and former journalist. With writing partner John Aboud, he was a regular commentator on ''Best Week Ever'' and other VH1 shows, including '' I Love the '80s''. Personal life Colton attende ...

and John Aboud. In August 2013, it was reported that

Benedict Cumberbatch Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch (born 19 July 1976) is an English actor. Known for his work on screen and stage, he has received various accolades, including a British Academy Television Award, a Primetime Emmy Award and a Laurence Oli ...

would voice Agent Classified from the North Wind and

John Malkovich John Malkovich (born December 9, 1953) is an American actor. He is the recipient of several accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, two Screen Actors Guild Aw ...

the film's charming villain, Dr. Octavius Brine (a.k.a. Dave the octopus). On May 20, 2014, the film's release date was moved up to November 26, 2014, switching places with DreamWorks Animation's other film '' Home''.

Television series

''The Penguins of Madagascar'' (2008–2015)

The Penguins of Madagascar ''The Penguins of Madagascar'' is an American computer-animated television series co-produced by DreamWorks Animation and Nickelodeon. It stars nine characters from DreamWorks' animated film ''Madagascar'': the penguins Skipper ( Tom McGrath), ...

'' is a spin-off television series that aired on

Nickelodeon Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its networks division's Kids and Family Group. It ...

. The series follows the adventures of the four penguins: Skipper (the leader of the group), Kowalski (the smartest), Rico (the craziest) and Private (the youngest) in New York City's Central Park Zoo. The penguins rule the roost at their Central Park habitat, carrying out secret missions in the heart of the city. At times, their missions beckon them to venture outside the zoo. King Julien, the primary antagonist, is also a resident of the zoo (though it is unknown how he, Maurice, and Mort got there) and the penguins must compete against him to maintain order in the zoo. While Tom McGrath,

John DiMaggio John William DiMaggio (; born September 4, 1968) is an American actor. His various voice roles include Bender on ''Futurama'', Jake the Dog on ''Adventure Time'', Marcus Fenix in the ''Gears of War'' series, Dr. Drakken on ''Kim Possible'', H ...

, Conrad Vernon and

Andy Richter Paul Andrew Richter (born October 28, 1966) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and talk show announcer. He is best known as the sidekick for Conan O'Brien on each of O'Brien's talk shows: ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Late Night'' and ' ...

reprised their roles as Skipper, Rico, Mason and Mort respectively, Jeff Bennett replaced Chris Miller as Kowalski,

James Patrick Stuart James Patrick Stuart is an American actor, currently portraying Valentin Cassadine on the daytime soap opera ''General Hospital'', for which he received three consecutive Daytime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Dram ...

replaced Christopher Knights as Private, Danny Jacobs replaced

as Julien and Kevin Michael Richardson replaced

Cedric the Entertainer Cedric Antonio Kyles (born April 24, 1964), better known by his stage name Cedric the Entertainer, is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He hosted BET's '' ComicView'' during the 1993–1994 season and '' Def Comedy Jam'' in 1995. He is ...

as Maurice. The series also features a new character, Marlene, an otter voiced by

Nicole Sullivan Nicole Sullivan (born April 21, 1970) is an American actress and comedian best known for her six seasons (1995–2001) on the sketch comedy series '' MADtv''. She also played Holly Shumpert in five seasons (2001–2005, 2007) of the CBS sitcom ...

''All Hail King Julien'' (2014–2017)

All Hail King Julien ''All Hail King Julien'' is an American computer-animated 3D streaming television series. It stars King Julien, Maurice, and Mort from the DreamWorks Animation animated film '' Madagascar'' franchise and takes place in Madagascar before the eve ...

'' is the second spin-off television series. It stars King Julien and set before the events of the first film. The series debuted on December 19, 2014, on

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...

, when the first five 22-minute episodes were released. The series features the voices of Danny Jacobs (replacing

and reprising his role from ''The Penguins of Madagascar'') as King Julien; Henry Winkler as Julien's regal predecessor, Uncle King Julien;

as Mort; Kevin Michael Richardson (replacing

and reprising his role from ''The Penguins of Madagascar'') as Maurice; and

India de Beaufort India de Beaufort (born India Beaufort Lloyd; 27 June 1987) is a British actress and singer. Early life de Beaufort is of British and Indian background. Her maternal grandfather was born in Calcutta, where his family lived for around 350 years ...

as Clover, the king's special-ops expert.

''Madagascar: A Little Wild'' (2020–2022)

'' Madagascar: A Little Wild'' is the third animated spin-off television series that premiered on Hulu and

Peacock Peafowl is a common name for three bird species in the genera '' Pavo'' and '' Afropavo'' within the tribe Pavonini of the family Phasianidae, the pheasants and their allies. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female peafowl are r ...

on September 7, 2020. It's the second prequel in the franchise, centering on the younger versions of the four main characters that first appeared in ''Madagascar'' (2005), and the first television series in the franchise starring them (though Alex has made one-off appearances in previous series).

Short films

''The Madagascar Penguins in a Christmas Caper'' (2005)

The Madagascar Penguins in a Christmas Caper ''The Madagascar Penguins in a Christmas Caper'' is a 2005 American computer-animated short film produced by DreamWorks Animation. The 12-minute ''Madagascar'' spin-off features the adventures of four penguins, sometimes known as the Madagascar ...

'' is a computer-animated short film, which premiered in theaters on October 7, 2005 with the stop-motion film, '' Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit''. The short was directed by animation veteran

Gary Trousdale Gary Trousdale (born June 8, 1960) is an American animator, film director, screenwriter and storyboard artist. He is best known for directing films such as ''Beauty and the Beast'' (1991), ''The Hunchback of Notre Dame'' (1996), and ''Atlantis: Th ...

, produced by Teresa Cheng, and written by Michael Lachance. Set on Christmas Eve, the 12-minute film features four penguins from Central Park Zoo who discover that one of them has gone missing.

''Madly Madagascar'' (2013)

''Madly Madagascar'' is a direct-to-DVD Valentine's Day-themed short film released on January 29, 2013, starring all the main characters from the ''Madagascar'' film series. The story appears to take place sometime between the second and third films. It featured many of the same voice actors as the films, including

, Chris Rock,

, and

. However, voice actor Danny Jacobs once again replaced

as the voice of the character King Julien. King Julien finds a love potion and starts selling it to members of the watering hole, making Marty attractive to all the animals. Skipper and the penguins organise a rescue mission for his doll girlfriend.

''All Hail King Julien: New Year's Eve Countdown'' (2017)

''All Hail King Julien: New Year's Eve Countdown'' is a three-minute computer-animated film about celebrating the new year in Madagascar.

''All Hail King Julien: Happy Birthday to You'' (2017)

''All Hail King Julien: Happy Birthday to You'' is a one-minute computer animated special.

Television special

''Merry Madagascar'' (2009)

Merry Madagascar ''Merry Madagascar'' is a Christmas special first broadcast on the NBC network on November 17, 2009, which starred the characters from the film series ''Madagascar'', and takes place sometime between the first and second film. It is the second Dre ...

'' is a Christmas special first broadcast on

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

in November 2009, which starred the characters from the ''Madagascar'' film series. The story appears to takes place sometime between the first and second films. It featured many of the same voice actors as the films, including

, Chris Rock,

, and

. However, voice actor Danny Jacobs replaced

as the voice of the character King Julien.

Carl Reiner Carl Reiner (March 20, 1922 – June 29, 2020) was an American actor, stand-up comedian, director, screenwriter, and author whose career spanned seven decades. He was the recipient of many awards and honors, including 11 Primetime Emmy Awards, ...

provided the voice of Santa Claus. Santa Claus crash lands in his sleigh on Madagascar and loses his memory after Alex shoots him down, leaving him, Marty, Gloria and Melman to be Santa for the night. King Julien realizes that Christmas is about giving and not receiving.

Cast and characters

Crew

Reception

Box office performance

The film series has grossed over $2.2 billion, making it the sixth highest-grossing animated franchise (behind ''Despicable Me'', ''Shrek'', ''Ice Age'', ''Toy Story'' and ''The Lion King''), and the second highest-grossing DreamWorks Animation franchise (behind ''

Shrek ''Shrek'' is a 2001 American computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the 1990 book of the same name by William Steig. It is the first installment in the ''Shrek'' franchise. The film was directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jen ...

'').

Critical and public reception

The series is notable for its steadily improving critical reception, with each mainline film receiving better reviews than the last. Its reception among audiences has remained consistently positive throughout its run.

Critics' Choice Movie Awards

Video games

* ''

'' video game was an adaptation of the first film, released in 2005 by

Toys for Bob Toys for Bob, Inc. is an American video game developer based in Novato, California. As the creators of the award-winning '' Star Control'' and '' Skylanders'' series, the studio originated as a partnership between Paul Reiche III and Fred Ford ...

on the PlayStation 2,

Xbox Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The brand consists of five video game consoles, as well as applications (games), streaming services, an online service by the name of Xbox network, and the development arm by the ...

, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS,

Game Boy Advance The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo as the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, in the PAL region on June 22, ...

and GameCube consoles. * '' Madagascar: Operation Penguin'' was released in 2006 for Game Boy Advance by

Activision Activision Publishing, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in Santa Monica, California. It serves as the publishing business for its parent company, Activision Blizzard, and consists of several subsidiary studios. Activision is one ...

. * ''Madagascar: Animal Trivia DVD Game'' is an interactive DVD game based on the first film. It was released in 2005 by the b Equal Company. The DVD features over 1,600 questions about animals. The DVD also features ''Dynamic Leveling'' which automatically adjusts the difficulty of the questions to each player's knowledge levels. The three levels are Scout Level for 6–9 years, Explorer Levels for 10–13 years and Navigator Level for 14–106 years. * '' Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa'' was an adaptation of the second film and was made for the

Xbox 360 The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generati ...

PlayStation 3 The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on November 11, 2006, in Japan, November ...

, Wii, PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows and Nintendo DS and released on November 4, 2008 in North America. * '' Madagascar Kartz'' was released on October 27, 2009 for the Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Nintendo DS. * ''

'' was released on November 2, 2010 for Nintendo DS. * '' The Penguins of Madagascar: Dr. Blowhole Returns – Again!'' was released on September 6, 2011 for Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo DS. * ''

DreamWorks Super Star Kartz High Impact Games was an American video game developer based in Burbank, California, formed in 2003 by former members of Insomniac Games and Naughty Dog. In 2007, the company released '' Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters'' for the PlayStation Portab ...

'' was released by Activision on November 15, 2011, for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS. The game features 14 different characters from the four DreamWorks' films – ''Madagascar'', ''

'', ''

How to Train Your Dragon ''How to Train Your Dragon'' (abbreviated ''HTTYD'') is an American media franchise from DreamWorks Animation and loosely based on the eponymous series of children's books by British author Cressida Cowell. It consists of three feature films: ' ...

'', and '' Monsters vs. Aliens''. * '' Madagascar: Join the Circus!'', a mobile video game, was released on June 4, 2012, for iPhone and

iPad The iPad is a brand of iOS and iPadOS-based tablet computers that are developed by Apple Inc. The iPad was conceived before the related iPhone but the iPhone was developed and released first. Speculation about the development, operating ...

. * '' Madagascar 3: The Video Game'' was released on June 5, 2012, for Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. * ''Madagascar Online'', a virtual online world within the JumpStart universe, was released on October 4, 2012. * ''Madagascar Preschool Surf n' Slide'', a mobile learning game, was released by JumpStart on October 4, 2012, on

iOS iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also include ...

and Android platforms. * ''

'', a video game based on the film of the same name, was published by Little Orbit and released on November 25, 2014, for Nintendo 3DS, Wii, and

Wii U The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4. Th ...

''Madagascar Live!''

There have been multiple live shows based on the franchise.

''Madagascar Live!'' (2011)

''Madagascar Live!'' is a 90-minute theatre show based on the ''Madagascar'' film. Produced by DreamWorks Theatricals and Broadway Across America, it was directed by Gip Hoppe as the DreamWorks Animation's second stage production after ''

Shrek the Musical ''Shrek The Musical'' is a musical with music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire. It is based on the 2001 DreamWorks Animation film ''Shrek'', along with elements of its sequels: '' Shrek 2'', ''Shrek Forever After'' ...

''. The tour started on January 28, 2011, in

York, Pennsylvania York (Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Yarrick''), known as the White Rose City (after the symbol of the House of York), is the county seat of York County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the south-central region of the state. The populatio ...

, and was expected to visit more than 70 cities across the United States. After a show in New York's Radio City Music Hall, on April 24, 2011, ''Madagascar Live!'' was cancelled in the United States, citing "unforeseen circumstances" as the reason. ''Madagascar Live!'' then toured the United Kingdom, visiting nine cities between January 2013 and March 2013.

''Madagascar Live! Prepare to Party'' (2012)

''Madagascar Live! Prepare to Party'' is a 20-minute live stage show featuring Alex, King Julien, Gloria, Mort and The Penguins as they each present their special party games while dancing and singing. The show premiered in 2012 in an Africa area at the UK theme park Chessington World of Adventures, and in

DreamWorks Experience DreamWorks Experience is a themed land at the Dreamworld theme park on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Themed after DreamWorks Animation and its franchises including ''Shrek'', ''Madagascar'' and ''Kung Fu Panda'', it replaced the exi ...

at the Australian theme park Dreamworld. The show has now closed at Chessington and only operates at Dreamworld.

''Madagascar Live! It's Circus Time'' (2012)

''Madagascar Live! It's Circus Time'' is a 30-minute live show, based on the film ''Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted''. The story follows the characters of ''Madagascar'' to a circus, where they try to avoid being captured by the animal control officer Captain Dubois by blending among its artists, performing stunts, singing and dancing. The show opened in 2012, in

Everland Resort Everland Resort () is a theme park and vacation resort located in Yongin, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. It is owned and operated by Samsung Everland. The resort opened in April, 1976, as a single theme park (Everland), but developed into a resort wit ...

, in South Korea, and in 2013 in

Heide Park Heide Park Resort, commonly known as Heide Park, is a theme park in Soltau, Lower Saxony, Germany. With an overall area of over 850,000 m2 (210 acres), it is the largest amusement park in Northern Germany and among the largest in the country. ...

, Germany, and in

Gardaland Gardaland Resort is an amusement park located in northeastern Italy. Opened on 19 July 1975, the resort includes Gardaland Park, Gardaland Sea-Life, Legoland Waterpark, Gardaland Hotel, Adventure Hotel and Magic Hotel. It is adjacent to Lake Gar ...

, Italy.

''Madagascar Live! Operation: Vacation'' (2013)

''Madagascar Live! Operation: Vacation'' is a 20-minute live stage show featuring Alex, Gloria, King Julien, Mort and The Penguins along with live singers, a live band and dancers. The show opened in 2013 at

Busch Gardens Tampa Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is a animal theme park located in Tampa, Florida, United States, with the entire park landscaped and designed around themes of Africa and Asia. Owned and operated by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, the park opened on J ...

and

SeaWorld San Diego SeaWorld San Diego is an animal theme park, oceanarium, outside aquarium and marine mammal park, in San Diego, California, United States, inside Mission Bay Park. It is owned and operated by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. SeaWorld San Diego ...

. The show closed at SeaWorld in January 2015 and at Busch Gardens in September 2015.

''Madagascar: The Musical'' (2018)

In 2018, a stage musical titled ''Madagascar The Musical'' debuted in the United Kingdom. Since then, it also played in Malaysia, Hong Kong, and New Zealand.

Attractions

'' Madagascar Madness'' is one of the three areas at the

themed land which is part of Australian theme park Dreamworld. It consists of suspended roller coaster '' Escape from Madagascar'', a show stage ''King Julien's Theatre in the Wild'', a ball play area ''MAD Jungle Jam'' and a merchandise shop ''Madagascar Cargo Hold''. A ''Madagascar''-themed tower called ''Madagascar Rain Forest'' with 15 water slides opened at

DreamWorks Water Park DreamWorks Water Park is an indoor water park within the American Dream shopping and entertainment complex, at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States. The park opened on October 1, 2020. The water park incl ...

on October 1, 2020. Madagascar was one of the seven themed lands in

Universal Studios Singapore Universal Studios Singapore (abbreviation: USS) is a theme park located within the Resorts World Sentosa at Sentosa, Singapore. It features 28 rides, shows, and attractions in seven themed zones. It is one of the six Universal Studios theme ...

, and it featured lush tropical jungles as well as a water ride Madagascar: A Crate Adventure and a carousel King Julien's Beach Party-Go-Round.

Music

The 1993 music track "

I Like to Move It "I Like to Move It" is a song by American solo project Reel 2 Real ( Erick Morillo), featuring ragga vocals by Trinidad and Tobago rapper The Mad Stuntman (Mark Quashie). Released in 1993, as the second single from their debut album, '' Move It! ...

," performed by

Reel 2 Real Reel 2 Real was an American hip house musical project that had seven top 10 hits on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in the 1990s. Biography The project's core member was producer and DJ Erick Morillo from New York City, who spent a por ...

, features prominently in the film series. The first film used a version recorded by

in character as King Julien. Other versions of the song have been used throughout the franchise, with the lyrics changed or altered to match with each film's plot and the film's subject matter. The original version also appeared in the first and last episode of the ''Madagascar''

series ''

'' and the "Afro Circus/I Like to Move It" tune was played near the start of the Madagascar spin-off film ''

''. The song was also included in the stage adaptation, again sung by King Julien.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Madagascar (Franchise) Film series introduced in 2005 Children's film series DreamWorks Animation franchises Animated film series Adventure film series Comedy film franchises