Kung Fu Panda is returning for another adventure. Universal Pictures has announced that Kung Fu Panda 4 will arrive in theaters on March 8, 2024. Unfortunately, not much else is known about the fourth installment of DreamWorks' award-winning CGI-animated movie franchise.
This will be the first film in the Kung Fu Panda franchise since 2016's Kung Fu Panda 3 which wrapped up the initial trilogy. Back in 2010, DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg floated the idea of six films. While there had been talks about a Kung Fu Panda 4, nothing formal was announced until this weekend.
Presumably, Jack Black will return to voice Po Ping. The franchise follows the lazy and clumsy, yet lovable and warm-hearted giant panda who is prophesized as the Dragon Warrior and becomes a master of kung fu.
The franchise has seen numerous high-profile actors voice characters within the fantasy world including Dustin Hoffman (Master Shifu), Angelina Jolie (Tigress), Seth Rogen (Mantis), Jackie Chan (Monkey), Lucy Liu (Viper), David Cross (Crane) and James Hong (Mr. Ping). It's unclear who, if any, will be returning for this fourth film.
Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger wrote the screenplays for all three films in the original trilogy, but there's no confirmation if they are returning for the fourth film. John Stevenson and Mark Osborne directed the first film, while Jennifer Yuh Nelson helmed the two sequels.
As a franchise, the Kung Fu Panda films have grossed over $1.8 billion globally. They've also resulted in numerous spinoffs including several animated TV specials and three series, including the most recent in Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight on Netflix.
Beyond the box office, all three films have been generally well-received by audiences and critics alike. Both Kung Fun Panda and Kung Fu Panda 2 were nominated for Best Animated Feature. All three films also sit above an 80% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The announcement of Kung Fu Panda 4 just a month after Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight premiered on Netflix. The latest series sees Jack Black reprise his role as Po and embark on a globe-trotting quest for redemption and justice that finds him partnered up with a no-nonsense English knight known as the Wandering Blade (voiced by Rita Ora). Another series spinoff, The Paws of Destiny, is currently available to watch on Amazone Prime Video.