Madagascar / Escape 2 Africa / Europes Most Wanted / Penguins Of Madagascar

Collection of films from the Madagascar franchise. In 'Madagascar' (2005), a group of pampered zoo animals find themselves transported to the wild where they realise that their easy life in captivity hasn't prepared them in the slightest for the real world. Alex the Lion (voiced by Ben Stiller), Marty the Zebra (Chris Rock), Gloria the Hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Melman the Giraffe (David Schwimmer) are star attractions at the Central Park Zoo in New York.

When they find themselves mixed up in an attempted zoo-break by the cunning penguins, the keepers decide that the animals are restless and return them to the wild. On the island of Madagascar, the animals are having a hard time adjusting, but when they meet eccentric King Julien (Sacha Baron Cohen), they start to find life a bit easier, even if Alex the Lion is gradually reverting to his more primal instincts. In the second instalment, 'Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa' (2008), the motley crew of animals once again find themselves stranded in the vast plains of Africa, where they come across long-lost relatives, romantic rivals and scheming hunters.

Africa is an exciting place full of freedom and adventure - but could it be that, despite their natural origins, Central Park is the animals' true home? In 'Madagascar 3 - Europe's Most Wanted' (2012), although their previous attempt to escape Madagascar and make it back to New York failed, Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra and Melman the Giraffe remain determined to return to the Big Apple. When the trio find themselves in Monte Carlo on the run from European animal control, they decide that their best chance of making it home is to join a travelling circus as performing animals. Though the circus, led by a world-weary tiger, appears to be on a downward slide, the zest of Alex, Marty and Melman quickly helps to reinvigorate it.

But will the circus finally help them make it back to New York? In 'Penguins of Madagascar' (2012), Penguin superspies Skipper (Tom McGrath), Kowalski (Chris Miller) and Private (Christopher Knights) are assigned to an undercover operation that has been put in place to help animals who can't help themselves. The task force, led by Agent Classified (Benedict Cumberbatch) must now work together to stop the evil octopus Dr. Octavius Brine (John Malkovich), known to his friends as Dave, from taking over the world.