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Kung Fu Panda 4 is a 2024 computer-animated action/comedy film and is the third sequel in the Kung Fu Panda franchise. It was produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Universal Pictures. It was directed Mike Mitchell and Stephanie Ma Stine. Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, James Hong, Bryan Cranston, and Ian McShane reprised their roles from the previous films, joined by Awkwafina, Ke Huy Quan, Ronny Chieng, Lori Tan Chinn, and Viola Davis.
The film was released on March 8, 2024 in the United States.
Plot[]
Synopses[]
Official synopsis from DreamWorks:
After three death-defying adventures defeating world-class villains with his unmatched courage and mad martial arts skills, Po, the Dragon Warrior (Golden Globe nominee Jack Black), is called upon by destiny to... give it a rest already. More specifically, he's tapped to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace.
That poses a couple of obvious problems. First, Po knows as much about spiritual leadership as he does about the paleo diet, and second, he needs to quickly find and train a new Dragon Warrior before he can assume his new lofty position.
Even worse, there's been a recent sighting of a wicked, powerful sorceress, Chameleon (Oscar® winner Viola Davis), a tiny lizard who can shapeshift into any creature, large or small. And Chameleon has her greedy, beady little eyes on Po's Staff of Wisdom, which would give her the power to re-summon all the master villains whom Po has vanquished to the spirit realm.
So, Po's going to need some help. He finds it (kinda?) in the form of crafty, quick-witted thief Zhen (Golden Globe winner Awkwafina), a corsac fox who really gets under Po's fur but whose skills will prove invaluable. In their quest to protect the Valley of Peace from Chameleon's reptilian claws, this comedic odd-couple duo will have to work together. In the process, Po will discover that heroes can be found in the most unexpected places.
The film features the voice talent of returning stars Academy Award® winner Dustin Hoffman as Kung Fu master, Shifu; James Hong (Everything Everywhere All at Once) as Po's adoptive father, Mr. Ping; Academy Award® nominee Bryan Cranston as Po's birth father, Li, and Emmy Award nominee Ian McShane as Tai Lung, Shifu's former student and arch-nemesis. Oscar® winner Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once) joins the ensemble as a new character, Han, the leader of the Den of Thieves.[4]
CinemaCon 2023 announcement:
In the fourth installment, Po will leave the Valley of Peace for the city, where he has to face The Chameleon, a villain who can summon enemies from Po's past. In addition to dealing with The Chameleon, Po also has to look for a replacement as he realizes that he cannot be the Dragon Warrior forever.[1]
From Jack Black during the CinemaCon panel:
In Kung Fu Panda 4, Po is set to become the new spiritual leader of the Valley of Peace, but before he can do that, he must find a successor to become the new Dragon Warrior. He appears to find one in Zhen, a fox with plenty of promising abilities but who doesn't quite like the idea of Po training him. The two eventually learn to get along... but becoming a true master/student team was just the beginning. Along comes The Chameleon, a villain with, as Black describes it, the "totally scary and totally unfair" ability to bring back villains from past Kung Fu Panda films like Tai Lung. Desperate to find a way to defeat The Chameleon, Po and Zhen must leave the Valley of Peace and go into the big city for the first time.[5]
Summary[]
 **SPOILER ALERT!** Plot and/or ending details follow below.
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One night, on top of a mountain, Tai Lung somehow returns. Sometime later, Po is stopping an evil stingray before helping his dads open their new restaurant. While there, Shifu wants to talk with Po. At the Jade Palace, he tells Po that he must advance to become the spiritual leader of the Valley of Peace, meaning that he won't be the Dragon Warrior anymore, much to the latter's disappointment.
The next day, Po is struggling to choose candidates, much to Shifu's anger. He later spots a thief named Zhen trying to steal some ancient weapons from kung fu past. He easily defeats her and sends her to prison, but soon hears of Tai Lung's return. Thanks to a clue from Zhen, he finds out that Tai Lung is in fact not back, but someone has been portraying him. She tells him that the person who shape shifted into Tai Lung is The Chameleon, and that if he wants to stop her, he'll need her help. Reluctant at first, but wanting to go on one last adventure as Dragon Warrior, Po heads to Juniper City with Zhen. Meanwhile, Ping and Li, terrified of what might happen to their son, trail behind them.
At Juniper City, they are arrested as Po finds out Zhen is a wanted criminal. They escape to the Den of Thieves where Zhen reunites with Han, who allows them to stay in the Den for a bit, but wants them gone the next day. Soon, Po and Zhen head to the Chameleon's lair to take her down. However, it's revealed that Zhen works for her, betraying Po's trust. He escapes, but without the Staff of Wisdom. When he asks Zhen to give it back, it's revealed to be the Chameleon in disguise, who sends him off a cliff. With the staff, the Chameleon makes a spiritual doorway to summon every martial arts master to steal their kung fu, including Lung, Lord Shen, and Kai. Zhen, seeing the horrible mistake she's made, decides to run away from her for good.
Meanwhile, Po talks with his dads, telling them that he's afraid of change. Ping tells him that he was afraid of change too, but also says that if things didn't change, he wouldn't be a father. This gives Po the encouragement to stop Chameleon once and for all. Po and Zhen bump into each other. She tries to stop him from getting killed, leading to a duel between the both of them. Realizing she can't change his mind, she gives him a tearful hug before he goes to face Chameleon.
Zhen manages to convince the Den of Thieves to help her out in saving Po. Meanwhile, Tai Lung finds out Po lost the Staff of Wisdom, causing him to lose even more faith in Po than he did originally. Po tries to face off against the Chameleon, getting his staff back. Just when Chameleon tries to get in the final blow, Zhen intervenes. Chameleon transforms into a hybrid of multiple creatures, and the three of them have a fight all around the room. Zhen falls due to the rubble, while Chameleon changes into Po, whom the real Po faces. However, Chameleon traps him in a cage.
Putting his trust in Zhen, he gives her the Staff of Wisdom, which she uses to give the kung fu back to every master that Chameleon stole from. Not accepting defeat easily, the latter tries to kill Po again, but is quickly defeated. Realizing that he was wrong about Po, Tai Lung finally gives his respect and acknowledges him as the Dragon Warrior. Po opens a spiritual doorway and sends all the masters back to the Spirit Realm, with Tai Lung taking the Chameleon with him.
Back at the Valley of Peace, Zhen is ready to go back to prison, but Po decides to choose her as the next Dragon Warrior, shocking both Shifu and herself. While she believes she doesn't deserve to be the Dragon Warrior, Po gives her some advice. In a mid-credits scene, Po, along with the Furious Five, Tigress, Monkey, Mantis, Viper, and Crane, help Zhen train to become the next Dragon Warrior.
| End of spoilers. |
Voice cast[]
- See also:
Kung Fu Panda 4 full credits at the Internet Movie Database
- Jack Black as Po the panda, the film and franchise's main protagonist
- Awkwafina as Zhen the corsac fox, a thief who helps Po to defeat the Chameleon
- Dustin Hoffman as Master Shifu, a red panda and Po's kung fu teacher
- Bryan Cranston as Li the panda, Po's birth father
- James Hong as Mr. Ping the goose, Po's adoptive father
- Viola Davis as The Chameleon, the film's main antagonist
- Ian McShane as Tai Lung the snow leopard, Shifu's former student and Po's first arch-nemesis
- Ke Huy Quan as Han the pangolin, leader of the Den of Thieves
- Lori Tan Chinn as Granny Boar, manager of the Happy Bunny Tavern
- Ronny Chieng as Captain Fish, who helps Po and Zhen travel to Juniper City
- Cece Valentina as Den Bunny 1, one of the three rabbit children of the Den of Thieves
- Audrey Brooke as Den Bunny 2, one of the three rabbit children of the Den of Thieves
- Lincoln Nakamura as Den Bunny 3, one of the three rabbit children of the Den of Thieves
- Seth Rogen as Mantis, a member of the Furious Five
- Jimmy "MrBeast" Donaldson as Panda Pig, one of the candidates for the next Dragon Warrior
- Harry Shum Jr. as Scott, a fire-breathing crocodile
Production[]
Coming soon!
Marketing[]
The new Po balloon for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
To promote the film, a giant Po balloon was featured in the 97th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 23, 2023. The balloon was constructed from more than 1,000 yards of fabric, and it featured Po in a flying side kick.[6]
On December 13, 2023, the first official trailer released.
Release[]
Kung Fu Panda 4 released domestically in the United States and in multiple other countries on March 8, 2024.[7][1][6]
Reception[]
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Box office[]
As of March 14, 2024, Kung Fu Panda 4 has grossed $77.7 million in the United States and Canada and $31 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of over $108.7 million.
In the United States and Canada, Kung Fu Panda 4 was released alongside Imaginary and Cabrini, and is projected to gross $45–50 million from 3,900 theaters in its opening weekend. The film made $19.4 million on its first day, including $3.8 million from Thursday night previews.
Critical response[]
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 72% of 113 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6/10. The website's consensus reads: "Kung Fu Panda 4 offers enough eye-catching entertainment to sustain the franchise's young fans, although it's starting to feel like this series is running out of steam." Audience Rotten Tomatoes Score were about 86 % with over 1000+ ratings. Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 56 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. Cinemascore gave the movie an A- rating. Same as the first film.
Accolades[]
Coming soon!
Soundtrack[]
- Main article: Kung Fu Panda 4 (soundtrack)
The film's score was composed by Hans Zimmer and Steve Mazzaro.[2]
Planned sequels[]
According to former DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg in 2010, there are more Kung Fu Panda sequels planned for the franchise, with a possibility of six films total.[8]
Trivia[]
- The film's director Mike Mitchell was also involved in the production of past Kung Fu Panda films. He served as an executive producer of Kung Fu Panda 3, as well as a story consultant on Kung Fu Panda.[1]
- The film's first official trailer did not feature the Furious Five, however director Mike Mitchell confirmed in an interview that the Furious Five will indeed appear in the movie. They appear as silent cameos in the end credits where they teach Zhen.[9]
- The animation style for this sequel will be taking inspiration from the Spider-Verse movies, using the traditional "inkstyle".[10]
- The primary music theme featured in the film's trailers is a remix of "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes.
- The movie was the second longest movie of the franchise with a runtime of 94 minutes. Just one minute less than the 95 minutes runtime of Kung Fu Panda 3.
- The movie had the shortest budget for any movie of the franchise.
Gallery[]
Posters[]
Promos[]
Stills[]
Concept art[]
Trailers[]
TV spots and ads[]
Clips[]
Featurettes[]
Behind the scenes[]
Interviews[]
Other videos[]
Coming soon!
Quotes[]
| “ |
| A cookie? |
| —Po, Kung Fu Panda 4 trailer |
| “ |
| Mr. Ping: It's us against an army! Zhen: Then we'll just have to get an army of our own. |
| —Upon seeing the Chameleon's army, Kung Fu Panda 4 trailer |
| “ |
| Han: How should we do this? Quick and painless? Or, slow and painful? Bunny children: Slow and painful! |
| —Kung Fu Panda 4 trailer |
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Animation Magazine - "Mike Mitchell to Direct DreamWorks' 'Kung Fu Panda 4,' Slated for March 2024" by Ramin Zahed. Published April 26, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Film Music Reporter - "Hans Zimmer & Steve Mazzaro Scoring DreamWorks Animation’s ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’" by filmmusicreporter. Published December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
- ↑ Variety - "Box Office Preview: ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ Takes on ‘Dune: Part Two,’ Targets $50 Million Debut" by Rebecca Rubin. Published & retrieved March 5, 2024.
- ↑ Screenrant - "Kung Fu Panda 4 Synopsis Revealed As Two Oscar-Winners Join Voice Cast" by Hannah Gearan. Published & retrieved December 12, 2023.
- ↑ The Wrap - "‘Kung Fu Panda 4' Doesn't Have a Trailer, So Jack Black Described the Plot Himself" by Jeremy Fuster. Published April 26, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 PR Newswire - "DREAMWORKS ANIMATION'S LEGENDARY KUNG FU PANDA, PO RETURNS FOR THE 97th MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE®" by Universal Pictures. Published October 23, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
- ↑ Kung Fu Panda on Facebook: "This is the moment you've all been waiting 4. Kung Fu Panda 4 hits theaters on March 8, 2024." Published & retrieved August 12, 2022. (view post)
- ↑ Empire Online - "Katzenberg Talks DreamWorks Sequels" by Helen O'hara. Published December 3, 2010. Retrieval date unspecified (view page history).
- ↑ Collider - "Tai Lung Isn't the Only Villain Returning for 'Kung Fu Panda 4'" by Nate Richard. Published & retrieved December 13, 2023.
- ↑ Farley, Jordan. "The Fur Fist Way" - Total Film Magazine, p. 8. Published January 4, 2024.
External links[]
- Official site
- Kung Fu Panda on Facebook
- Kung Fu Panda 4 at the Internet Movie Database
- Kung Fu Panda 4 at Box Office Mojo
