They’re cute. They’re inquisitive. They’re resourceful… And they’re about to become stars of the silver screen! On April 17—just in time for Earth Day on April 22—Disneynature invites you to tag along on its latest adventure, Monkey Kingdom. And the best part? For every ticket sold opening week (from April 17–23), Disneynature will make a donation to Conservation International to help protect monkeys and other endangered species in their natural habitats!
Monkey Kingdom, narrated by actress Tina Fey (30 Rock), follows a troupe of toque macaque monkeys as they search for food, shelter, and even love through the exotic jungles of Sri Lanka. Co-directed by Disneynature alums Mark Linfield and Alastair Fothergill (Chimpanzee), the film rests on the adorable shoulders of 8-year-old Maya, a toque macaque with distinctive blonde hair and gumption to spare. Not quite a “leading lady” among her extended monkey family, Maya’s life changes forever when she becomes a mother; with baby Kip to care for, Maya does all she can to give her son the kind of upbringing that could help him lead his own troupe someday. Trouble is, she’s got to contend with the group’s leader, alpha-male Raja, as well as a trio of privileged female macaques nicknamed “the Sisterhood.” But when their home at Castle Rock—a picturesque granite formation intertwined with a majestic fig tree—is taken over by neighboring monkeys, it’s Maya who uses her “street smarts” and ingenuity to help her whole family relocate, leading them to fresh resources.
Filmed over the course of three years, Monkey Kingdom benefited from the expertise of Dr. Wolfgang Dittus—a researcher that co-director Mark Linfield first met during a trip to Sri Lanka early in his career. Dr. Dittus has been studying macaques for over 50 years, making his the longest-running monkey study of all time. The good doctor and his team provided the Monkey Kingdom crew with a wealth of knowledge that allowed them to recognize cues in the monkeys’ behavior—all the better to capture amazing, never-before-seen footage.
Since 2008, Disneynature has been celebrating the diversity of Earth’s ecosystem with films like Earth, Chimpanzee, and most recently, Bears. Through donations tied to all five of their films, Disneynature (through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund) has made a big impact—planting three million trees in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest; protected 65,000 acres of savanna in Kenya; educating 60,000 school children about chimpanzee conservation; and even funding research and restoration grants in U.S. National Parks! With Monkey Kingdom, Disneynature is set to donate to Conservation International, an organization that empowers societies to responsibly and sustainably care for nature. A portion of the film’s opening-week ticket sales (plus a helping of sales from the film’s soundtrack single, “It’s Our World,” sung by The Voice alum Jacqui Lee) will help Conservation International’s endangered species programs across Cambodia, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka.
Be sure to catch Monkey Kingdom when it swings into a theater near you starting April 17!
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