Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (a.k.a. Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa or Madagascar 2, original title as Madagascar: The Crate Escape) is a 2008 American computer-animated adventure comedy-drama film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The sequel to the 2005 filmMadagascar and the second installment in the franchise, it continues the adventures of Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, and Gloria the Hippo. It was directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath, with a screenplay written by Etan Cohen, Darnell, and McGrath. Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric the Entertainer, Andy Richter, and Elisa Gabrielli reprise their roles from the first film, and are joined by new cast members Bernie Mac, Alec Baldwin, Sherri Shepherd, and will.i.am. It is DreamWorks Animation's 17th feature film.
The film begins by showing a small part of Alex's early life, including his capture by hunters, then moves to shortly after the point where Madagascar left off, with the animals deciding to return to New York City. They board an airplane in Madagascar but crash-land in Africa, where each of the central characters meets others of the same species and where Alex is reunited with his parents. Problems arise, and their resolution occupies much of the remainder of the film.
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa was released on November 7, 2008, and grossed $603.9 million on a $150 million budget, making it the sixth highest-grossing film of 2008. It was dedicated to Bernie Mac, who died before the film's release (by coincidence, another film of his, Soul Men, would be released on the same date as this film). A triquel, Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, was released in June 8, 2012.
