Which Madagascar film was the first in the series to receive an Academy Award nomination?

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted was the first film in the series to receive an Academy Award nomination.

The 2012 film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. It competed at the 85th Academy Awards, which honored films released in 2012. The nomination recognized the feature's animation and filmmaking achievement, although the film did not win the award.

The earlier Madagascar films were commercially successful but did not receive an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature. The later Penguins of Madagascar spin-off also did not become the franchise's first Academy Award nominee.

The film's awards recognition is sometimes confused with other honors received by the franchise or its voice performers. The precise distinction here is an Academy Award nomination for the feature itself, not a nomination at the Golden Globes or an award for an individual song or actor.