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First appearing in the 2005 DreamWorks Animation feature film Madagascar, the lovable team of super-spy penguins quickly became popular among fans young and old. They starred in a holiday short, The Madagascar Penguins in a Christmas Caper, and appeared in the original film’s sequel, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa. The penguins also starred in a spinoff television series that debuted on Nickelodeon in 2008, which tied in to the release of Madagascar 2.
Now, the popular penguin foursome are taking the big screen by storm in their own animated feature film: The Penguins of Madagascar.
The first full-length trailer for The Penguins of Madagascar, released by Moviefone, shows Skipper (Tom McGrath), Kowalski (Chris Miller), Rico (John DiMaggio), and Private (Christopher Knights) meeting another espionage team: the North Wind. Skipper and the leader of North Wind, Agent Classified, don’t get along right away, but they’ll need to work together in order to thwart the villainous schemes of Dr. Octavious Brine.
The Penguins of Madagascar stars Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock) as Agent Classified and John Malkovich (Crossbones) as Dr. Octavious Brine, along with Ken Jeong (Community), Annet Mahendru (The Americans), and Peter Stormare (22 Jump Street). Eric Darnell, creator of Madagascar, returns to direct.
Those who have seen either The Madagascar Penguins in a Christmas Caper or the penguins’ TV series won’t be surprised by the antics or types of jokes displayed in the trailer: silly, a bit immature, but still enjoyable for any age. For example, the main gag in the trailer is of Skipper crunching on synthetically-orange Cheezy Dibbles while Agent Classified attempts to explain the North Wind.
Though it may not live up to DreamWorks Animation’s other feature film of the year, How to Train Your Dragon 2, in terms of appealing to children and adults alike, The Penguins of Madagascar seems perfect for fans of the television show. There will be fun and silly antics, some new characters, and big-screen sheen in order to appeal to those looking for a family-friendly holiday film.
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The Penguins of Madagascar hits theaters November 26th, 2014.
