Curious George is an American media franchise based on the book series of the same name by H. A. Rey and Margret Rey. The series began with the theatrical release of the first film in 2006. The film's success led it to receiving direct-to-video sequels, a television series (which aired three specials during its run) as well as a video game.
It stars a tailless monkey by the name George and his owner known as the Man with the Yellow Hat, or Ted as he is named in the films.
Films Curious George (2006)
Curious George is the first film in the Curious George franchise. In an attempt to save the Bloomsberry Museum, a museum director named Ted goes to Africa to find a forty-foot idol, while encountering a monkey he later names George, who goes onto the boat to America with Ted, to Ted's apartment, causing a strict doorman named Ivan to go furious. After plenty of mishap, it is eventually George who saved the museum. It was released in theaters on February 10, 2006.
Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey! (2009)
Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey! is the second film in the Curious George franchise. It follows George befriending an elephant at a magic show named Kayla. After learning Kayla has parents in California, George makes it him and Ted's mission to help reunite her with her family. Meanwhile Kayla's owner, Mr. Piccadilly, enlists the Head of Security, Danno Wolfe, to track George, Kayla and Ted down. The film received a theatrical release in Denmark, Sweden, and Iceland on July 10, 2009, and was released direct-to-video in other territories on March 2, 2010.
Curious George 3: Back to the Jungle (2015) Curious George 3: Back to the Jungle is the third film in the Curious George franchise. In the film, George is asked to take part in a special mission to space, but a mishap during the journey lands him back to the jungle where he originally came from. It was released on DVD on June 23, 2015. This is the second film in the franchise to not receive a theatrical release, and the last to be traditionally-animated, as further films would utilize flash animation. Directed by Phil Weinstein, Frank Welker and Jeff Bennett reprise their roles from the previous film and are joined by John Goodman, Alexander Polinsky, Dee Bradley Baker, Gwendoline Yeo, Henry Guybit and Angela Bassett. Curious George 3: Back to the Jungle was released in the United States on June 23, 2015. It was released as a direct-to-DVD movie by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The movie was also later aired on PBS KIDS in August 2015.
Curious George: Royal Monkey (2019) Curious George: Royal Monkey is the fourth film in the Curious George franchise. It focuses on George as he gets mixed up with a royal monkey named Phillippe. It was released on DVD on September 10, 2019.
Curious George: Go West, Go Wild (2020) Curious George: Go West, Go Wild is the fifth film in the Curious George franchise. The film features George and Ted traveling to Cousin Ginny's farm for a relaxing vacation, but their fun is cut short when a herd of animals escape and run loose. It was released exclusively on Peacock on September 8, 2020, and via digital and DVD on December 15, 2020.
Curious George: Cape Ahoy (2021) Curious George: Cape Ahoy is the sixth film in the Curious George franchise. George and Ted go on vacation to the town of Coddington with a small house owned by a treasure lover, Captain Elmer to find ancient treasure buried somewhere in his land or the beaches along with a baby seal making his way into the adventure with an endangered seal mom. There is also the legend of Captain TrumpetTooter and his abandoned, still intact, pirate ship as well as Getrude St. John, a Captain TrumpetTooter legend loving scientist and Emma, the niece of Captain Elmer who is an animal rescue scientist and would do anything to rescue the animals, including seals. It was released on Peacock on September 30, 2021.
Television series Curious George (2006–2022)
The series explores themes of learning, forgiveness and playful curiosity, and follows George, who is a sweet but trouble making African monkey. It premiered on September 4, 2006 and its most recent episodes aired on March 17, 2022.
Reception
Box office performance Title Release date(United States) Budget Box office gross Box office ranking Opening weekend(North America) North America Other territories Worldwide All timeNorth America All timeworldwide Curious George $50 million $14,703,405 $58,360,760 $11,505,164 $69,865,924 #1,266 Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey! colspan="3" $2,240,069 $2,240,069 colspan="2" Curious George 3: Back to the Jungle colspan="3" $1,313,940 $1,313,940 colspan="2" Curious George: Royal Monkey colspan="8" Curious George: Go West, Go Wild colspan="8" Curious George: Cape Ahoy colspan="8" Totals $50 million $14,703,405 $58,360,760 $15,059,173 $73,419,933 colspan="2"
Critical and public response
Film Critical Public Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic CinemaScore Curious George 70% (107 reviews) 62 (28 reviews) A− Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey! (1 review) Curious George 3: Back to the Jungle (1 review) Curious George: Royal Monkey (1 review) Curious George: Go West, Go Wild (0 review) Curious George: Cape Ahoy (1 review)
Cast and characters
Character Films Television series Curious George Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey! Curious George 3: Back to the Jungle Curious George: Royal Monkey Curious George: Go West, Go Wild Curious George: Cape Ahoy Curious George George Frank Welker The Man with the Yellow Hat Will Ferrell Jeff Bennett Jeff BennettMatt Kaminsky Mr. Bloomsberry Dick Van Dyke Fred Tatasciore Margaret "Maggie" Dunlop Drew Barrymore Nickie Bryar Junior Bloomsberry David Cross Ivan Ed O'Ross Ed O'Ross Ms. Plushbottom Joan Plowright Clovis Eugene Levy Edu Michael Chinyamurindi Kayla Jeff McNeal Danno Wolfe Jamie Kennedy Mr. Piccadilly Tim Curry Miss Fisher Cree Summer Farmer Dan Clint Howard Anna Trupti Potdukhe Tina Catherine Taber Humbleton Stationmaster Jerry Lewis Hark Hanson Matt Lauer Hal Houston John Goodman Dr. Naja Kulinda Angela Bassett Tech Andrew Alexander Polinsky Philippe Frank Welker Princess Isabel lll Daniela Bobadilla King Gustavo V Philip Anthony-Rodriguez Ana Eliza Jane Schneider El Fuego Dee Bradley Baker Fernando Mayor Mick Wingert Doris Adrienne C. Moore Emmett Max Mittelman Sadie Dee Bradley Baker Ricochet Billy Spittoon Frick Frack Frank Stetson Phil Morris Cousin Ginny April Stewart Ginny's Mom Adrienne Barbeau Captain Elmer Christopher Swindle Emma Hiromi Dames Gertrude St. John Rita Moreno Seal Pup Dee Bradley Baker Mama Seal Rocco Luka Jones Gwen Kimberly D. Brookes Hundley Bill ChottLex Lang The Doorman rowspan="2" Chef Pisghetti Jim Cummings Netti Susan Silo Gnocchi Debi DerryberryDee Bradley Baker Charkie Kel MitchellRob Paulsen Aunt Margaret rowspan="4” Betty Jean Ward Steve Elizabeth Daily Betsy Grey DeLisle Professor Wiseman Rolonda Watts Mr. Glass Rob Paulsen Mr. Zoobel Carlos Alazraqui Compass Rob Paulsen Jumpy Squirrel Jim Cummings Allie Lara Jill Miller Marco Grey DeLisle Bill rowspan="5" Annie Mumolo Mr. Renkins Jeff Bennett Mrs. Renkins Kath Soucie Mr. Quint Jim Cummings Mrs. Quint Candi Milo
Crew Year Film Director Producer Writer Composer Editor Runtime 2006 Curious George Matthew O'Callaghan Ron HowardDavid KirschnerJon Shapiro Ken KaufmanKen KaufmanMike Werb Heitor Pereira Julie Rogers 87 minutes 2009 Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey! Norton Virgien Share Stallings Chuck TatelyChuck TatelyDarrell Rooney John Bryant 80 minutes 2015 Curious George 3: Back to the Jungle Phil Weinstein Chuck Tately Roger Hinze 81 minutes 2019 Curious George: Royal Monkey Doug Murphy Deirdre Brenner Dan WicksmanNuria WicksmanCliff RubyElana LesserJoe StillmanDan WicksmanNuria Wicksman Germaine Franco Keef BartkusNina Helene Hirten 86 minutes 2020 Curious George: Go West, Go Wild Michael LaBash Jana HowingtonSherri StonerJana Howington Luke Guidici 85 minutes2021Curious George: Cape Ahoy Doug Murphy Glen BergerChuck TatelyChuck Tately Dara Taylor Bryan Tuck 88 minutes
Other media Video games Video game Date released Game system compatible Curious George Xbox GameCube Game Boy Advance PlayStation 2 Microsoft Windows
References