Madagascar is a 2005 American computer-animated comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by DreamWorks Pictures. It was directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath (in McGrath's feature directorial debut) and written by Mark Burton, Billy Frolick, Darnell, and McGrath. The film stars Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, and Jada Pinkett Smith. The plot follows a group of zoo animals who find themselves washed ashore on the eponymous island after a series of misadventures, where they befriend a group of lemurs after defending them from the savage fossas. However, troubles arise when Alex, a lion and the only carnivore of the group, slowly succumbs to his savage side.