When it comes to DreamWorks Animation, we all have fallen in love with their films. They have a well-earned reputation for bringing viewers fun and heart-warming movie experiences. So, when DreamWorks announced in Aug. 2022 that one of their beloved film series “Kung Fu Panda” will be returning with a fourth movie, we were all eager to hear more.
Well, that time has finally come. DreamWorks Animation has finally released the movie’s official trailer and release date! To celebrate this exciting news, we’ve gathered most people’s burning questions about the film and curated a list to answer them all. Here is everything there is to know about “Kung Fu Panda 4:”
Who are the creators behind the fourth film?
Back in April 2023, it was revealed at CinemaCon that Mike Mitchell will be directing “Kung Fu Panda 4.” This is a director who is well-versed in animation films as he is best known for his work in “Trolls,” “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part” and “Shrek Forever After.”
It was also confirmed at CinemaCon that Mitchell will not be working alone as Stephanie Ma Stine is set as the co-director. Similar to Mitchell, Stine also has a lot of animation experience as she’s worked on films like “Raya and the Last Dragon” and “How to Train Your Dragon.” With the combination of these directors, it’s fair to say that the new installment is in good hands.
Who will be in “Kung Fu Panda 4?”
It wouldn’t be a “Kung Fu Panda” film if it didn’t have Jack Black voicing the beloved character Po as Black’s charm and goofiness is what made us fall in love with the franchise in the first place. So, we are happy to announce that he will return in the new installment.
Joining Black in the new film is Awkwafina as the crafty thief Zhen who Po trains to become the newest Dragon Warrior. She will be joined by Oscar winners Viola Davis as Chameleon, the new villain of “Kung Fu Panda 4,” and Ke Huy Quan as Han, whose character’s role has yet to be revealed.
Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) and The Furious Five, which consists of Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Mantis (Seth Rogan), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Viper (Lucy Liu) and Crane (David Cross), director Mitchell revealed will appear in the film, but they won’t play as large of a role this time.
“They make an appearance, I’ll tell you that much,” Mitchell told Collider. “But to be fair, Po is leaving the Valley of Peace, and he’s going on a huge adventure to this giant city.”
What is the new installment about?
“Kung Fu Panda 4” will have Po (Jack Black) attempt to find his path toward becoming the spiritual leader of the Valley of Peace. However, standing in his way is a new fearsome villain, the Chameleon (Viola Davis), who plans to use her powers to embody all of Po’s greatest foes and finally destroy the Dragon Warrior once and for all. On a mission to defeat the new threatening villain, Po heads to the Big City, where he runs into a clever fox named Zhen (Awkwafina) whom he begins to train to become the new Dragon Warrior.
From the trailer’s first looks, this plotline seems like it will not disappoint as it shows a new and refreshing adventure for Po while simultaneously bringing back the film’s charming qualities, such as amazing action-packed sequences and its loveable characters.
Why did “Kung Fu Panda 4” take a while to make?
With “Kung Fu Panda 4’s” announcement, many people, like me, are probably wondering why the new installment took nearly seven years to make since its last film debut. Well, director Mitchell answered everybody’s curious minds as he talked to Collider about the lengthy creative process.
“We knew it was gonna be funny and action-packed, but we needed to make sure that we had the proper story to tell that would allow our lead character to evolve and learn, and we wanted to find the right theme,” said Mitchell. “Then, probably as importantly, we wanted to find the perfect villain…So, that’s why it took so long.”
When is the “Kung Fu Panda 4” release date?
The film will be released on March 8, 2024, in theaters. This is exciting news as “Kung Fu Panda” fans only have to wait a couple more months until the film hits the big screen. In the meantime, viewers can rewatch the previous installments on Netflix or Pluto TV for free.