Noah Romsdal Hallundbæk Sørensen
Madagascar is heading back to cinemas for its 20th anniversary.
A beloved animated adventure is making an unexpected comeback to cinemas early next year.
DreamWorks Animation has confirmed that one of its most recognisable talking-animal ensembles will roar back into theaters for a special anniversary run.
The studio has released a new trailer teasing the return, rekindling memories of the Central Park Zoo quartet whose misadventures first captured audiences two decades ago.
Return to cinemas
DreamWorks, known for franchises like Shrek and Kung Fu Panda, told fans the original Madagascar will be reissued in theaters on January 16, 2026.
The rerelease marks a late celebration of the film’s 20th anniversary, as the original opened in May 2005.
The film follows Alex the lion, Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe and Gloria the hippo, along with a covert team of penguins, as they flee captivity in search of freedom.
Their escape from New York spirals into chaos, sending them on an unintended voyage across the ocean.
After washing ashore on Madagascar, the group encounters a lively community of lemurs whose party-loving routines shape much of the film’s humor.
According to Box Office Mojo, the movie went on to earn more than $542 million worldwide and drew broadly positive responses from audiences and critics.
Franchise legacy
Following that success, DreamWorks expanded the series with two major sequels, Escape 2 Africa in 2008 and Europe’s Most Wanted in 2012, each moving the characters into new environments. A spinoff, Penguins of Madagascar, arrived in 2014, shifting the focus to the fan-favorite commando birds.
Despite the franchise’s popularity, the main series has remained dormant for over a decade. The upcoming theatrical return may give DreamWorks a clearer sense of how much appetite remains for future installments.
What comes next
The studio has not yet shared further details about the rerelease, but its revival comes as DreamWorks continues work on other major titles, including Shrek 5. Fans looking to revisit the series can explore earlier reviews of Madagascar 2, Madagascar 3 and the Penguins spinoff while awaiting additional announcements.
Sources: IGN Nordic, X/@dreamworks
