Bernie Mac Remembered as Madagascar Sequel Previews

It wasn't all laughs at DreamWorks Animation Wednesday morning, when the creators of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa screened a preview of the upcoming sequel. The segment, which brought with it much of the same humor that audiences loved in the original film, was dominated by a new character, a lion voiced by Bernie Mac, reported USA Today.

In the movie, Mac lends his voice to Zuba, a lion who we learn is actually the father of Alex, the Manhattan-dwelling lion voiced by Ben Stiller. Jeffrey Katzenberg told USA Today that animators were still polishing the last of Mac's scenes at the time of his unexpected death. The 50-year-old comedian passed away last week due to complications stemming from pneumonia. "Every day we are animating, and every day we are living with the creative contribution he made," Katzenberg said. "We loved Bernie, and there is a heart and a soulfulness that he brought to the role of Zuba."

"Somebody you spend time with and get to know becomes a part of your family," added the DreamWorks Animation chief. "And to have a sudden loss like this, it has been really, really hard on all of us."

The sequel follows the four zoo animals, voiced by Ben Stiller, David Schwimmer, Chris Rock and Jada Pinkett Smith, as they explore the vast plains of Africa's Serengeti.

According to USA Today, The preview screened Wednesday starts off with a misunderstanding, when Zuba finally meets his long lost son, but misinterprets his title of "King of New York" as the banner of a true warrior. Stiller's character is then forced to battle it out with various other alpha males, but when the fight begins, he too misunderstands and starts doing a dance from West Side Story.

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is set for a November 7 release.