Kung Fu Panda 4 is all set to crash into the theaters this month with the hit martial arts-comedy franchise continuing the adventures of Dragon Warrior Po, voiced by Jack Black. The fourth installment, directed by Mike Mitchell, will take Po to a new city, where he must face a deadly new foe to maintain peace in the valley.
However, Po’s usual allies, the Furious Five, which include characters voiced by Angelina Jolie and Jackie Chan, have been noticeably absent from the promotional material. In a new interview, director Mike Mitchell addressed the absence of Furious Five. In the process, Mitchell revealed why Jolie and Chan might not extensively feature in Kung Fu Panda 4, and here is everything you need to know about their absence.
Why Angelina Jolie and Jackie Chan are Not in Kung Fu Panda 4 Revealed
Ahead of Kung Fu Panda 4‘s release, director Mike Mitchell sat down for a conversation with Hindustan Times, to promote the upcoming animated film. During the interview, Mitchell addressed the noticeable absence of the Furious Five, who were the primary allies and supporting cast in the previous three movies.
In the earlier movies, Angelina Jolie voices Tigress while Jackie Chan lent his voice to Monkey. In the interview, Mitchell revealed that Tigress, Monkey, and other Furious Five members do not appear in the trailer because the story shifts focus to a new city and incorporates new characters.
“So the movie is so jam-packed with brand new characters. We wanted to expand our story and get Po out of the Valley of Peace.”
Mitchell made the above statement explaining the Furious Five’s lack of screen time in the new installment. However, Mitchell did confirm that the group will make an appearance in the movie. Based on Mitchell’s words, it is safe to assume that the appearance will only be a cameo.
As a result, the cameo might not include dialog or use archived voice recordings of the Furious Five. Since their characters only make a cameo in the movie, Jolie and Chan might not be eager to return or it might have simply been expensive to bring them back for such a small role. Hence, it is unlikely that Angelina Jolie and Jackie Chan will reprise their roles in Kung Fu Panda 4.
Kung Fu Panda 4 Director Talks Collaborating with Jack Black
While Angelina Jolie and Jackie Chan might not be returning for Kung Fu Panda 4, Jack Black who voices Po the Panda in the previous films, will lead the cast yet again for the fourth installment. In the same interview, Mitchell spoke about collaborating with Black on the new film and praised Black for taking on more of a co-creator role.
“But he is so invested in and so passionate about this character. In fact, there’s not a lot of difference between Kung Fu Panda and Jack Black. He’s action-packed, he’s enthusiastic, and he’s a fanboy!”
Mitchell made the above statement referencing how Black was deeply involved with the creative process of the fourth film. The director also revealed that Black improvised several of the film’s funniest moments during the recording sessions.
Kung Fu Panda 4 also features the voice of Awkwafina as Zhen, a corsac fox, and Viola Davis as The Chameleon with Dustin Hoffman and James Hong reprising their roles as Master Shifu and Mr. Ping. The film is currently slated to release in theaters on March 8, 2024.
