The film follows the Man with the Yellow Hat, a tour guide at a museum, and how he first befriended George while attempting to save the museum from closure. The film employs a distinct blend of traditional animation and computer-animated scenery. It received generally positive reviews from critics and was a box-office disappointment, grossing $70 million against a budget of $50 million. It was followed by five direct-to-video sequels and a television series.