The film stars Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric the Entertainer, Andy Richter, McGrath, Chris Miller, Christopher Knights, John DiMaggio and Vernon reprising their voice acting roles from the previous installments, alongside new cast members Jessica Chastain, Bryan Cranston, Martin Short and Frances McDormand.

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted premiered out of competition at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2012, and was theatrically released in the United States on June 8.

After crash-landing in Africa, penguins Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private and chimpanzee duo Mason and Phil leave for Monte Carlo in their modified airplane.

[a] After a while of waiting, Alex, Marty, Melman, Gloria and lemurs King Julien, Maurice and Mort decide to go find them so they can all return to their home at the Central Park Zoo in New York City.

The circus is headed for a performance show in Rome, followed by one in London where they hope to impress a promoter in order to get their first American tour.

In Rome, Alex becomes enamored with Gia while Julien falls in love with performing Eurasian brown bear Sonya.

After the performance at the Colosseum proves to be a disaster, Stefano reveals to Alex that the circus was once famous and Vitaly was its star, skillfully jumping through ever-smaller hoops.

When the train stops at the Alps, Alex convinces the circus animals to come up with a new and exciting all-animal act that will restore their former glory.

In London, Vitaly is afraid of failing again and considers ditching the show, but Alex helps him rediscover his passion by assisting him in performing the opening act successfully.

DuBois then shows up and, although the penguins foil her, a printed document detailing Alex that she was carrying exposes his group's true intentions.

After Sonya ends her relationship with Julien, the zoo and circus animals go their separate ways but arrive in Central Park at the same time.

DuBois is being honored by the zoo staff, but she rejects their offered reward money and secretly attempts to kill Alex with a poison-filled dart.

[13] The film was also converted to the IMAX format and shown in specific European territories, including Russia, Ukraine, and Poland.

[25] Outside North America, Europe's Most Wanted out-grossed Shrek Forever After to become DreamWorks Animation's highest-grossing film.

The site's critical consensus reads: "Dazzlingly colorful and frenetic, Madagascar 3 is silly enough for young kids, but boasts enough surprising smarts to engage parents along the way.

"[42] Colin Covert of Star Tribune said that Madagascar 3 set a high standard for cartoon comedy and was almost too good for kids.

[43] Giving the film 3.5 out of 5 stars, Betsy Sharkey of the Los Angeles Times said, "A neon-saturated, high-flying trapeze act with enough frenetic funny business that it's a wonder the folks behind this zillion-dollar franchise about zoo critters on the lam didn't send the animals to the circus sooner.

[…] the animals' jazzy circus performance, done in black-light colors and set to a Katy Perry song—may be one of the trippiest scenes in a mainstream kiddie movie since Dumbo saw those pink elephants.

"[45] Film scholar Timothy Laurie writes that the plot development of Madagascar 3 is "met with large servings of personal growth and side dishes of overcooked romance".

[60] A comic book based on the film and titled Madagascar Digest Prequel: Long Live the King!