I don’t know who is more excited for Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom. Me or my kiddos! We are still watching Disneynature’s Bears on a regular basis. How can you not be drawn into the reality of nature and the creatures that live free in it? If you are eagerly counting down the days until Monkey Kingdom hits theaters, which is April 17th by the way, here the Things You need to Know About Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom to catch you all up to speed.
Life is an adventure for Maya, the clever and resourceful blonde-bobbed monkey in “Monkey Kingdom,” Disneynature’s new feature film set among ancient ruins in the storied jungles of South Asia. Maya’s world is forever changed when she welcomes her son, Kip, into her complicated extended family. Like all families, Maya’s has more than its share of colorful personalities—and she’s determined to give her son a leg up in the world. When their longtime home at Castle Rock is taken over by powerful neighboring monkeys, Maya’s whole family retreats, and she uses her street smarts and ingenuity to uncover untapped resources amidst strange new creatures and unsettling surroundings. Ultimately, they will all have to work together to reclaim Castle Rock, where Maya can hopefully realize her dreams for her son’s future.
Things You Need to Know About Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom
1) The stars of Monkey Kingdom are:
- Maya: With a blonde bob and three distinctive spots on her nose, she is part of a complicated extended family of macaque monkeys.
- Kip: Maya’s Son
- Raja: The alpha male of Castle Rock
- The Sisterhood: A trio of macaque monkeys with bright red faces who, thanks to their privileged status among the group, control the day-to-day activities of the Castle Rock macaques.
- Kumar: Up-and-coming male who arrives at the troop’s front door hoping for a way in. Kumar slowly earns the respect of the Castle Rock macaques, and the heart of Maya.
2) Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom is set in ancient ruins among the storied jungles of South Asia.
3) In addition to monkeys, this film features a variety of jungle characters, including a mischievous mongoose, simple-minded langur monkeys, predatory leopards and monitor lizards!
4) The narrator of Monkey Kingdom” is Tina Fey! I heart her! I know many people look forward to hearing how will be narrating the next Disneynature Film. The narrator really brings the movie to life and I don’t know about you, but I was highly entertained by C. Thomas Riley in Disneynature’s Bears!
5) Monkey Kingdom is the 6th theatrical release for Disneynature, the first new Disney-branded film label from The Walt Disney Studios in more than 60 years. The label was launched in April 2008 to bring the world’s top nature filmmakers together to capture a variety of wildlife subjects and stories!
6) Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom is a great film for teaching! Teacher’s and Homeschool Parents can continue the learning at home or school with Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom Educators Guide! This printable guide includes almost 100 pages of lessons and activities targeted to grades 2 through 6. These lessons are aligned to Next Generation Science Standards, National Science Standards, and common core Language Art and Math Standards.
7) Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom Family Activity Pack is the perfect way to continue the love for monkeys beyond the film. This printable includes shadow puppets, crossword puzzles, origami, and more!
8) For every Monkey Kingdom Movie Ticket sold opening week (April 17th-23rd, 2015), Disneynature will make a donation to Conservation International to help protect monkeys and other endangered species in their natural habitats!
Catch Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom in theaters April 17th!
PS: Next week I will be in San Francisco and while there, I will be screening Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom. Afterwards, we get the amazing opportunity to chat with Disneynature Marketing Lead Paul Baribault and Consultant Kristina Reed (Academy Award winning Producer of “FEAST”)! If you have any questions for them or about the movie, please let me know and I will do my best to ask!
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