Release OrderRecommended
0 / 6 watchedEvery core entry in release order. Prequel series goes last to protect the reveals.
- 1 Madagascar The 2005 original that starts it all.
- 2 Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa Second film, November 2008.
- 3 The Penguins of Madagascar Nickelodeon run, 2008 to 2015. Fits between films 2 and 3.
- 4 Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted Third film, June 2012.
- 5 Penguins of Madagascar Penguin spy spin-off. Stands apart from their TV series.
- 6 All Hail King Julien Netflix, 2014 to 2017. Prequel set before the first film; watch last.
About Madagascar
DreamWorks' Madagascar started in 2005 with four Central Park Zoo animals stranded on the island. Two sequels followed in 2008 and 2012, while the penguins broke out into their own Nickelodeon series and a 2014 spy comedy film. All Hail King Julien ran on Netflix from 2014 to 2017 as a prequel about the lemur king.
Release order keeps every joke and cameo landing as intended. The penguin series fits between the second and third films, and the Julien series plays best last since it assumes you know the movies. Shorts and the young-years series stay in the notes as optional extras.
Good to know
The Penguins of Madagascar ran on Nickelodeon from November 2008 to December 2015; producer Robert Schooley said the 2014 film stands apart from that series. All Hail King Julien debuted December 19, 2014 and closed in December 2017, with its Exiled arc as the final season. Optional extras: The Madagascar Penguins in a Christmas Caper (2005), Merry Madagascar (2009), Madly Madagascar (2013) and Madagascar: A Little Wild (Hulu and Peacock, September 2020 to June 2022). Madagascar 4 was dated for May 2018 then removed in the January 2015 restructuring; co-director Tom McGrath said in January 2026 the studio still wants a fourth film given a strong story, and no date exists as of September 2026.
