Steve Coogan stars opposite a penguin in the 2025 new movie The Penguin Lessons, the latest from the British actor/comedian that is inspired by a true story of how a penguin lifted the spirits of an entire school in a divided nation.
We’ve seen countless movies about friendships between humans and animals, but there’s a reason for that — they are incredibly wholesome, heartwarming and usually pretty entertaining. Some recent examples have included movies like Arthur the King and, coincidentally, My Penguin Friend. Clearly, there’s something about penguins that Hollywood and audiences enjoy.
Here’s everything you need to know about The Penguin Lessons, from its premiere date to cast and more.
The Penguin Lessons release date
The Penguin Lessons is set to be released in the US on March 28 exclusively in movie theaters, while it will arrive on April 18 in the UK.
The Penguin Lessons cast
Coogan, who is best known for his character Alan Partridge as well as movies like Tropic Thunder, The Trip series and Philomena, stars in The Penguin Lessons as Tom Michell, the teacher who befriends a penguin and has his life turned upside down.
Joining Coogan in the movie is Jonathan Pryce. An Oscar-nominated actor for The Two Popes and also famously the villain of the Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies, most recently Pryce has been primarily seen on TV with roles in The Crown, 3 Body Problem, Slow Horses and Wolf Hall.
Other members of the cast, per IMDb, include Björn Gustafsson, David Herrero, Aimar Miranda, Hugo Fuertes, Micaela Breque, Alfonsina Carrocio and Vivian El Jaber.
The Penguin Lessons plot
The movie is based on Tom Michell’s book The Penguin Lesson, which has been adapted for the big screen by Jeff Pope. Here is the official synopsis for the movie:
“Inspired by the true story of a disillusioned Englishman who went to work in a school in Argentina in 1976. Expecting an easy ride, Tom discovers a divided nation and a class of unteachable students. However, after he rescues a penguin from an oil-slicked beach, his life is turned upside-down.”
The Penguin Lessons trailer
Watch the trailer for The Penguins Lesson right here:
The Penguin Lessons director
Peter Cattaneo is the director of The Penguin Lessons. Cattaneo is an Oscar-nominated director for The Full Monty and his short film Dear Rosie. The Penguin Lessons is his first movie in six years, though he has been directing some notable TV in the meantime, including the first season of Magpie Murders and episodes of The Flatshare.
Here is a look at his complete feature-directing resume:
- The Full Monty (1997)
- Lucky Break (2001)
- Opal Dream (2006)
- The Rocker (2008)
- Military Wives (2019)
The Penguin Lessons behind-the-scenes
The Penguin Lessons is produced by Ben Pugh, Rory Aitken, Adrián Guerra, Andy Nobel and Robert Walak. Intake Films, Rolling Dice, Aperture Media Partner and Nostromo Pictures are the companies backing the movie.
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