Agent Classified in Penguins of Madagascar, voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch

Why do you think the filmmakers thought you’d make a great Agent Classified?

I guess in the way that John Malkovich (who voices the evil Dr Octavius Brine) has played lots of villains, I’ve played lots of slightly arrogant anti-heroes. I imagine there’s fluidity there, but I hope it’s not just that. Initially, I thought it was an amalgamation of lots of things I’d done before, but I wanted to find a way to make it original. I started putting my two cents worth in, and they were really thrilled by that. The last few sessions have been very good on that front. I try to make them laugh with improvisations every time. I try to shape it so that it’s not me doing something expected. That stuff I love.

Can you see any of yourself in Agent Classified?

Hopefully a little bit, yes. Mainly the sort of hangdog expression, and some of the raised eyebrows and cup-of-tea moments. He’s always got his little finger up — not that I do that in real life, but I definitely did that in the sessions to try and influence the animation.

What is his journey?

Well, from a position of smug arrogance and control and professionalism to infuriation, disbelief, and the begrudging realisation that he actually has something to learn still. There’s a nice little journey there and it’s very funny the way that pans out.

He seems quite Bond-like…

In his mind, and also in his voice, which was part of the development, that suave, English delivery. There was a moment of seduction, there is definitely gadgetry, there’s a lot of action and he’s quite adept at what he does. He’s commanding, but then he can also be a complete and utter pillock as well. That’s a counter-intuitive version of Bond, which I found quite funny.

Did you have a particular Bond in mind... any favourites?

No, I don’t do favourites... I can’t. It so depends on the film as well. There are classic (Sean) Connery, (Roger) Moore, Timothy Dalton and (Daniel) Craig films — it’s really hard to distinguish.

With Smaug in The Hobbit, you famously went to the zoo to watch and study lizards. Did you spend any time observing wolves for Agent Classified?

Did I observe dogs? No. This dog stands on its hind legs and drinks espressos and lifts its little pinky up on its paw! It’s beyond anthropomorphic... it’s a very surreal, alternate world of animals.

The movie is a spin-off, not a sequel... does it reference the Madagascar movies much?

I won’t spoil it, but they do flatter the audience’s knowledge of the films — there are some really lovely treats along the way. There’s an origin story and you see how they kind of came to be a part of the Madagascar films in the prequel at the beginning of the film. There are lots of in-jokes... and not just about the Madagascar movies.

Madagascar has become almost a $2billion franchise... feeling the pressure on this one?

Well, hang on... the penguins are in nine minutes of those first two films, so if we turn the minutes of both of those films into one whole sum, figure out what percentage nine is... that’s the only amount of money we have to make on this one. That really takes the pressure off.... if I buy a ticket, we’ll make our money back.

 

• Cumberbatch cannot pronounce ‘penguins’. In a documentary about penguins that the actor had voiced, he was heard referring to them as ‘pengwings’ and ‘penglings’!

At the San Diego Comic Con, when asked how he prepared for Agent Classified, he said: “I worked undercover in Yellowstone Park as a wolf for a while. I was accepted right off the bat quite quickly, but it got pretty hairy — no pun intended — when I became the alpha male. About a month into it, I realised that two of the other wolves were Christian Bale and Daniel Day-Lewis.”