Penguins of Madagascar is a 2014 American animated spy comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and PDI/DreamWorks and distributed by 20th Century Fox. A spinoff of the Madagascar film series, it was directed by Eric Darnell and Simon J. Smith from a screenplay by Michael Colton, John Aboud, and Brandon Sawyer. The film stars the voices of Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Christopher Knights, Conrad Vernon, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ken Jeong, Annet Mahendru, Peter Stormare and John Malkovich. It takes place shortly after the events of Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012) and follows the Penguins as they join forces with the North Wind intelligence agency to stop the octopus Dave who seeks revenge on penguins for upstaging him at zoos and aquariums. The score was composed by Lorne Balfe.