Kung Fu Panda 4 is all set to hit our screens next month as fans prepare to embark on another whimsical adventure with the Dragon Warrior Po, voiced by Jack Black. The iconic martial arts comedy franchise will make a return to the big screen after nearly eight years of absence since the third installment’s release.
While promoting the new film, director Mike Mitchell spoke about what fans can expect from the fourth entry. Mitchell also expressed that he and his team tried to make the absolute best film in the iconic franchise, making him feel sorry for whichever filmmaker is tasked with continuing the saga. At the same time, Mitchell also teased future plans for the franchise.
Kung Fu Panda 4 Director Mike Mitchell Explains Why the Franchise Should Have Ended With the Movie
Kung Fu Panda 4 sees Jack Black returning to voice Po, the Dragon Warrior as he must fight a new foe called “The Chameleon,” to protect peace in the valley. After years of speculation following the release of Kung Fu Panda 3 in 2016, a fourth film was officially announced in 2022.
In April 2023, Mike Mitchell was confirmed as the director with Stephanie Ma Stine as co-director. In December 2023, Mitchell spoke with NBC about the upcoming fourth installment in the popular franchise and discussed several aspects that would excite fans.
During the interview, Mitchell stated that the film opened up the franchise’s world to explore spin-offs centering on other characters but felt that Kung Fu Panda 4 could be a worthy conclusion to Po’s story arc.
“I don’t think it will ever get boring to watch Jack Black voice Kung Fu Panda. But I have to say, I feel sorry for the next filmmaker team that has to do this because we have done everything we possibly can. It is going to be hard to top this one.”
Mitchell’s statement implies that the franchise should have ended with the fourth movie. While Mitchell would like to see the Jack Black-led franchise continue, he felt a sequel might not match the quality of its predecessor. While that is one lofty claim, only time will tell whether Kung Fu Panda 4 truly proves to be the best film in the franchise yet.
Mike Mitchell Teases Kung Fu Panda 4’s Crazy Action Scenes
During the same interview, Mitchell also hyped up fans for Kung Fu Panda 4 by revealing the unique approach to the action scenes. Mitchell revealed he and his animation team worked with stunt performers of Marvel movies to craft the action sequences.
“That’s something I don’t think we’ve done on any of our films before, to have real live-action fight techniques, and then we took them into animation and elevated them even more and made it even crazier.”
Mitchell made the above statement regarding the film’s martial scenes which are the main attraction of the franchise aside from its trademark humor. In a separate interview, Mitchell also stated that the film’s action scenes were inspired by anime, elevating them to a new level.
In the same interview, producer Rebecca Huntley praised the action scenes of Kung Fu Panda 4 and stated the creative team’s focus was on making it the franchise’s best entry. However, she refused to rule out future installments in the franchise and teased that the movie could be the start of a new trilogy.
Kung Fu Panda 4 is slated to be released on March 8, 2024.
