Billion-Dollar Franchise Releases Fourth Entry Trailer That Looks More Epic Than Ever
The Dragon Warrior is back, and now it looks like he’ll be taking on a new student. Dreamworks just released the trailer for Kung Fu Panda 4, and it looks like it’ll be another big success for the studio. Jack Black once again returns as the lovable panda Po and will also be taking on a new adversary alongside his new protege.
Kung Fu Panda 4 has been a long time coming, with the previous entry of the film franchise coming out back in 2016. The film will see Po having to embrace his spiritual side as he becomes a leader and as he trains a new Dragon Warrior successor, the fox Zhen (Awkwafina). Of course, Po still has some fighting to do as the trailer also introduced Viola Davis’ powerful sorceress Chameleon, who is able to shapeshift and steal the martial arts abilities of Po’s previous adversaries like Tai Lung.
Also joining the cast of Kung Fu Panda 4 is Everything Everywhere All At Once’s Ke Huy Quan as Han, leader of the Den of Thieves.
Po still has some fighting to do as the trailer also introduced Viola Davis’ powerful sorceress Chameleon, who is able to shapeshift and steal the martial arts abilities of Po’s previous adversaries like Tai Lung.
Along with Jack Black, returning cast members for the film include Dustin Hoffman as Master Shifu, Jackie Chan as Master Monkey, Angelina Jolie as Master Tigress, David Cross as Master Crane, Seth Rogen as Master Mantis, Lucy Liu as Master Viper, James Hong as Po’s adoptive father, Mr. Ping, Bryan Cranston as Po’s birth father, Li, and Ian McShane as Tai Lung.
It’ll be interesting to see where they take the franchise next, especially since it looks like they may be leaning toward making Po a supporting character in future entries as he’s replaced as the Dragon Warrior.
The film will see Po having to embrace his spiritual side as he becomes a leader and as he trains a new Dragon Warrior successor, the fox Zhen (Awkwafina)
The first Kung Fu Panda was released in 2011 and saw Po become the Dragon Warrior, which also helped Dreamworks net an incredible box office haul. Subsequent entries to the franchise saw Po continue to protect China while also learning of his biological origins. The franchise has raked in over $1.8 billion worldwide, and Kung Fu Panda 4 will surely add quite a bit to that haul.
In addition to the films, the Kung Fu Panda franchise has spawned three television series: Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness, The Paws of Destiny, and The Dragon Knight. Dreamworks has managed to find a lot of success lately, both critically and commercially, with recent films like Puss in Boots: The Last Wish becoming fast hits. It will be interesting to see how much a reliable franchise like Kung Fu Panda can net the animation studio.
Mike Mitchell, known for his work on Trolls and Shrek Forever After, is taking on the director chair for Kung Fu Panda 4. Stephanie Ma Stine is on board the project as co-director, while Rebecca Huntley steps into the producer role. The Kung Fu Panda franchise has consistently been appreciated by fans and critics alike, and the cast and crew of this film look to continue that legacy.
Kung Fu Panda 4 has been a long time coming, with the previous entry of the film franchise coming out back in 2016.
Kung Fu Panda 4 is one of two films that Dreamworks has scheduled for a 2024 release. The other film has yet to be revealed, but we’ll make sure to keep you updated. In the meantime, make sure to mark your calendars for March 8 to check out Kung Fu Panda 4 in theaters.
