Jack Black’s Kung Fu Panda 4 has done a decent job of impressing the critics as a standalone film, but it might be the weakest entry in the franchise. Despite the franchise’s immense popularity, the declining trend in the appeal of the films was clearly visible in the box office number of the last outing. However, the upcoming movie is expected to make the highest profits among the four films due to its low production budget.
Kung Fu Panda 4 arrives as a major competitor to Dune: Part Two which is making big waves at the box office. While the lower rating compared to other films has brought some negative press for the film, it is expected to collect $45-50 million in its opening weekend.
Kung Fu Panda 4 Might Become The Most Profitable Movie In The Franchise
Kung Fu Panda 4’s Rotten Tomatoes score stands at 74% fresh from 47 reviews, as of writing. It is the lowest-rated film in the franchise, which began with Kung Fu Panda in 2008. The martial arts-inspired animated comedy grossed $632 million at the box office, a massive win at the time for an animated film. Besides Jack Black, the film also starred Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, and Ian McShane.
The next film came out in 2011 and grossed $665 million, becoming the highest-grossing film in the franchise so far. The third film in 2016 collected comparatively less with a total box office earnings of $521 million. The filmmakers expect the fourquel to reach or surpass the box office achievements of the other films. However, one significant factor could possibly make the film the most profitable out of all the Kung Fu Panda films.
According to Variety, the first three films in the franchise were all made on a budget of $150 million each. However, the fourth entry cut short on its budget by a large margin. The film was made on a budget of $85 million, just $10 million more than half the budget of earlier films. While the exact reason for the cost cuts is unknown, some of the popular highly-paid artists of the earlier films only returned for brief appearances thus reducing their hefty paychecks.
While Dune 2 poses a major threat to its box office earnings, Kung Fu Panda 4 has another advantage at this time. There is a lack of major films targeting family audiences in theaters now, a gap which could be filled by the Mike Mitchell-directed film. The film already had its premiere at The Grove in Los Angeles on March 3, 2024.
Critics Say Kung Fu Panda 4 Failed To Live Up To The Legacy Of The Other Films
While critics found no major faults in the film, many shared that the film failed to live up to the legacy of the other films. Critics were all praising the performances of Jack Black, Awkwafina, and Viola Davis in the film. However, these performances couldn’t cover up for the feeling of “something missing” as mentioned by The Hollywood Handle in their review. Critic Laura Sirikul loved the film, but she too had to admit that the film was probably not necessary.
AV Club‘s Courtney Howard felt that this film is “best left forgotten” in the “legendary tales of awesomeness”. Justin Clark of Slant Magazine rightfully shared that while the film was a good watch, it showed all the “telltale signs of a series struggling to justify its existence.” Owen Gleiberman of Variety was also not impressed with the film as all he could think about while watching the film was, “Where’s the skadoosh?”.
Kung Fu Panda 4 will be released in theaters worldwide on March 8, 2024.
