DreamWorks Animation Announces 'Madagascar 2'

Ben Stiller, Chris Rock to Return in Starring Roles

Katzenberg also announced that Ben Stiller and Chris Rock, who starred in the original "Madagascar" as Alex the Lion and Marty the Zebra, will be reprising their roles. He said he was looking forward to other original cast members returning to their roles for the sequel.

The movie will once again be produced by Mireille Soria and co-directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath.

Speaking at the annual Merrill Lynch Media & Entertainment Conference in Pasadena, Mr. Katzenberg said, "As a result of its tremendous box office success, the potential to tell a new chapter in its story and the popularity of the film's characters, we are excited to announce that we are making 'Madagascar' our second company franchise -- along with 'Shrek.' We will release a theatrical sequel in 2008."

In addition to the sequel, DreamWorks Animation will be giving the scene-stealing "Madagascar" Penguins the chance to take top billing in a direct-to-video release due out in 2009. The company has also produced its first mini-movie: a ten-minute film featuring the Penguins, which will play in theatres this fall alongside the studio's main theatrical release: "Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit," which opens October 7th in theaters nationwide.

"Madagascar" opened on May 27 and generated a domestic box office of approximately $192 million. It continues to perform extremely well internationally, and currently ranks as one of the top five computer-animated movies of all time.

DreamWorks Animation SKG (NYSE:DWA) is devoted to producing high-quality family entertainment through the use of computer-generated (CG) animation. Utilizing world-class creative talent and state-of-the-art technological capabilities, the company is committed to making two computer-animated feature films a year that appeal to a broad movie-going audience.

Source: DreamWorks Animation SKG
PASADENA, Calif., Sept. 14, 2005 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --