Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted will be a third of the franchise. Alex [Ben Stiller] the lion, Marty [Chris Rock] the zebra, Melman [David Schwimmer] the giraffe, and Gloria [Jada Pinkett Smith] the hippopotamus set out to return to New York City after escaping to Africa. Dependent on the mechanical know-how of the notorious monkeys and penguins, their plan inevitably goes away and they find themselves stranded in Monte Carlo, where they try to escape Europe from animal control by joining up with a traveling circus by chance. Led by the venerable Siberian tiger Vitaly [Bryan Cranston], the animal-centered circus has seen better days. During the course of a tour through Paris, Rome, Pisa, and other European cities that ends in a fabulous big top in the heart of London, Alex, Marty, Melman, and Gloria help Vitaly, Gia [Jessica Chastain] the jaguar, and Stefano [Martin Short] the sea lion, rediscover their passion for show business and reinvent circus performance