Directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath for DreamWorks Animation, this feature film features the voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, and Jada Pinkett in the original version, as well as José Garcia and Anthony Kavanagh in the French version. Released in 2005, the film will be available in France on Netflix starting December 24, 2025.
In this family adventure, four star animals from the Central Park Zoo find themselves outside their controlled environment. Their impromptu escape takes them to the island of Madagascar, where they discover a wild space that tests their bearings and their cohesion.
The group, accompanied by particularly intrepid penguins, attempts to tame new territories. Between rapid adaptation, local encounters, and the unexpected return of instincts, their stay becomes the starting point for a series of discoveries and mishaps.
The project was born after the abandonment of a musical parody conceived by Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath, and producer Mireille Soria, who initially wanted to feature four rocker penguins. The film's development brought together Billy Frolick and Mark Burton for the screenplay. The visual style is inspired by classic cartoons, with deliberately stylized shapes and movements inherited from productions of the 1930s and 1940s. The voice cast includes Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, and Jada Pinkett, while José Garcia, Anthony Kavanagh, Jean-Paul Rouve, and Marina Foïs provide the French voices. Hans Zimmer composed the music, replacing Harry Gregson-Williams during production.
The tone, punctuated by slapstick humor and offbeat situations, is aimed primarily at families and viewers attracted to accessible adventure stories. The themes of camaraderie, adaptation, and self-discovery structure the whole.
Madagascar
Animated film | 2005
On Netflix December 24, 2025
Animation | Running time: 1 hour 26 minutes
By Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath | Starring José Garcia, Ben Stiller, Anthony Kavanagh
Nationality: United States
The film offers a colorful and accessible world, based on humor and adventure in an iconic island setting.
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