A Boca Raton man is accusing DreamWorks Animation SKG of stealing his idea to create the animated movie "Madagascar."

Joseph Davis filed a lawsuit Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, alleging that the California-based company based the movie -- which depicts the adventures of four escaped zoo animals as they roam New York City and end up marooned in Madagascar -- on his ideas and drawings. The lawsuit claims Davis submitted his work, "Animal's Night Out," to a DreamWorks employee in 1999, and that he was told the company was not interested. "Madagascar" was released in 2005.

The lawsuit says both works feature the Central Park Zoo and other New York City locations, and similar animals with similar personality traits and story roles.

Davis copyrighted his work in February.

DreamWorks had no comment on the suit.