Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysLGBTQ+ Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

March of the Penguins

Original title: La marche de l'empereur
  • 20052005
  • GG
  • 1h 20m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
58K
YOUR RATING
March of the Penguins (2005)
In the Antarctic, every March since the beginning of time, the quest begins to find the perfect mate and start a family.
Play trailer1:53
1 Video
45 Photos
  • Documentary
  • Family
In the Antarctic, every March since the beginning of time, the quest begins to find the perfect mate and start a family.In the Antarctic, every March since the beginning of time, the quest begins to find the perfect mate and start a family.In the Antarctic, every March since the beginning of time, the quest begins to find the perfect mate and start a family.
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
58K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Luc Jacquet
  • Writers
    • Luc Jacquet(scenario)
    • Michel Fessler(adaptation)
    • Jordan Roberts(narration: US edited version)
  • Stars
    • Morgan Freeman(English version)
    • Romane Bohringer(original French version)
    • Charles Berling(original French version)
Top credits
  • Director
    • Luc Jacquet
  • Writers
    • Luc Jacquet(scenario)
    • Michel Fessler(adaptation)
    • Jordan Roberts(narration: US edited version)
  • Stars
    • Morgan Freeman(English version)
    • Romane Bohringer(original French version)
    • Charles Berling(original French version)
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 353User reviews
    • 164Critic reviews
    • 79Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 22 wins & 15 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:53
    Trailer

    Photos45

    March of the Penguins (2005)
    March of the Penguins (2005)
    March of the Penguins (2005)
    March of the Penguins (2005)
    March of the Penguins (2005)
    March of the Penguins (2005)
    March of the Penguins (2005)
    March of the Penguins (2005)
    March of the Penguins (2005)
    March of the Penguins (2005)
    March of the Penguins (2005)
    March of the Penguins (2005)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Morgan Freeman
    Morgan Freeman
    • Narrator
    • (English version)
    • (voice)
    Romane Bohringer
    Romane Bohringer
    • La mère
    • (original French version)
    • (voice)
    Charles Berling
    Charles Berling
    • Le père
    • (original French version)
    • (voice)
    Jules Sitruk
    Jules Sitruk
    • Le bébé
    • (original French version)
    • (voice)
    Amitabh Bachchan
    Amitabh Bachchan
    • Narrator
    • (Indian version)
    • (voice)
    Jose Coronado
    Jose Coronado
    • Emperor Father
    • (Spanish version)
    • (voice)
    • (as José Coronado)
    Sky du Mont
    Sky du Mont
    • Narrator in German version
    • (voice)
    Gösta Ekman
    Gösta Ekman
    • Narrator
    • (Swedish version)
    • (voice)
    Fiorello
    • Narrator
    • (Italian version)
    • (voice)
    Sofie Gråbøl
    Sofie Gråbøl
    • Narrator
    • (Danish version)
    • (voice)
    Hikari Ishida
    • Haha-Penguin
    • (Japanese version)
    • (voice)
    Ryûnosuke Kamiki
    Ryûnosuke Kamiki
    • Ko-Penguin
    • (Japanese version)
    • (voice)
    Adrian Killian
    • Penguin Baby
    • (German version)
    • (voice)
    Marek Kondrat
    Marek Kondrat
    • Narrator
    • (Polish version)
    • (voice)
    Andrea Kathrin Loewig
    • Penguin Mother
    • (German version)
    • (voice)
    Torsten Michaelis
    • Penguin Father
    • (German version)
    • (voice)
    Takao Osawa
    Takao Osawa
    • Chichi-Penguin
    • (Japanese version)
    • (voice)
    • Director
      • Luc Jacquet
    • Writers
      • Luc Jacquet(scenario) (adaptation)
      • Michel Fessler(adaptation)
      • Jordan Roberts(narration: US edited version)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
    7.5
    Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
    March of the Penguins 2: The Next Step
    6.6
    March of the Penguins 2: The Next Step
    Happy Feet
    6.4
    Happy Feet
    Only Five Minutes
    7.2
    Only Five Minutes
    Hugo
    7.5
    Hugo
    The Wrong Trousers
    8.3
    The Wrong Trousers
    The Jungle Book
    7.4
    The Jungle Book
    A Close Shave
    8.1
    A Close Shave
    Rango
    7.2
    Rango
    Penguins
    7.1
    Penguins
    A Grand Day Out
    7.7
    A Grand Day Out
    Chimpanzee
    7.1
    Chimpanzee

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Morgan Freeman recorded his narration in one day.
    • Quotes

      penguin: Wwwwwwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!

    • Crazy credits
      As the closing credits roll, footage is shown of the photographers dragging their equipment across the ice, setting up their cameras, and shooting film as the penguins walk around them.
    • Alternate versions
      The original French version features dialog for the penguins and a pop music soundtrack.
    • Connections
      Edited into Phénomania: La marche de l'empereur (2005)

    User reviews353

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    Luc Jacquet has done the impossible.
    Toss that anthropomorphic expectation and embrace your inner animal because documentarian Luc Jacquet has done the impossible: March of the Penguins respects, even adores, these indomitable cuties, not because, as Morgan Freeman says in his voice-over narration, they may be just like us, but rather because they are not like us. Although we may want to see ourselves in them, we end up seeing in this incomparably intimate journey through the entire breeding cycle in Antarctica is a unique organism totally devoted to the survival of its family, brooking no selfish activity and no vacation from the harsh climate and relentless demands of nature.

    This film's strength is a lack of sentimentality that allows us to focus on the strategies of survival: Thousands of penguins closely huddle with their backs to the sometimes 100 mile an hour winds; fathers and mothers equally share responsibilities such as trudging 70 miles each way to store up food for the babies; fathers protect eggs while mothers make that journey; mates separate after the season from each other and their babies forever. Their lovemaking is dignified and the essence of minimalism. These are just a few of the rituals that characterize an evolutionary process guaranteeing the survival of the species.

    Jacquet occasionally courts repetition, anathema to a hyperactive audience, but if the audience gives itself over to the rhythms of penguins breeding to live, it will not be bored. Winged Migration seems strangely detached by comparison, formations mostly seen from afar. Jacquet gets up close and personal (The parents exchanging an egg to be stored under their coats is memorable) to make the audience collaborator rather than voyeur. Lamentably, the director includes no scenes of raw predator activity, just a large scavenger scooping up a baby. A documentary should allow the audience of experiencing the good and the bad.

    A few years ago I hid in a trench in New Zealand to see Penguins rise out of the sea at the same time each day marching by us to their camps. I was deeply moved by their dignity and calm, punctuated with a resolve to keep their rituals intact for millennia. That unflagging constancy is devoutly to be wished in humanity.

    For once, the trailer hype may be accurate: "In the harshest place on earth, love finds a way." Love of species would be more accurate. No matter, you'll love the film.
    helpful•186
    26
    • jdesando
    • Jul 8, 2005

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 22, 2005 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • France
    • Official sites
      • Official site (France)
      • Warner Brothers (United States)
    • Language
      • French
    • Also known as
      • The Emperor's Journey
    • Filming locations
      • Terre Adélie, Antarctica
    • Production companies
      • National Geographic Films
      • Bonne Pioche
      • Wild Bunch
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $8,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $77,437,223
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $137,492
      • Jun 26, 2005
    • Gross worldwide
      • $127,392,693
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 20 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    March of the Penguins (2005)
    Top Gap
    What is the Japanese language plot outline for March of the Penguins (2005)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in July
    See the full list
    View image
    Photos
    Hollywood Romances: Our Favorite Couples
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.