Who directed Penguins of Madagascar, the 2014 feature film?

Eric Darnell and Simon J. Smith directed the feature film Penguins of Madagascar.

Released in 2014, Penguins of Madagascar follows Skipper, Kowalski, Rico, and Private in a spy-comedy adventure that expands the penguins’ role beyond the main Madagascar films. Eric Darnell had co-directed the original Madagascar and its sequels, while Simon J. Smith had previously worked on animated projects at DreamWorks.

The film connects to the Madagascar franchise but has its own plot, production credits, and tone. The penguins are recruited into a conflict involving the villainous octopus Dave, leading them into an international adventure with the secret organization North Wind.

A common mix-up is assigning the film to Tom McGrath, who voices Skipper and helped create the character’s screen identity. Voice acting and directing are separate credits here: McGrath performs Skipper, but Darnell and Smith directed the feature.