Kung Fu Panda stands out as one of the most beloved animated franchises globally, and for good reason. The series features remarkable characters with stellar voice acting and a straightforward yet compelling plot. Across the trilogy, each movie showcases significant character development for Po, elevating his growth to new heights in each installment. Interestingly enough, the villain for Kung Fu Panda 4 is proof that the movie is a love letter to the very first film.
The Kung Fu Panda trilogy concluded nearly 8 years ago, and there was a general belief that we would not see more of the characters. However, DreamWorks Animation has surprised fans by announcing another Kung Fu Panda movie, set to be released later this year. Naturally, there’s a lot of hype for the upcoming film.
Kung Fu Panda 4’s Villain Shows That The Movie Is A Love Letter To The First Film
While speaking to Collider, director Mike Mitchell went into detail about the movie. Without giving away spoilers, Mitchell mentions that the Chameleon is a female character, marking a unique dynamic as Po has never faced a female villain before. She possesses extraordinary supernatural powers, distinguishing her from previous villains in the series. Despite her small stature, she is portrayed as the biggest and most powerful character, challenging traditional expectations.
”I don’t want to do any spoilers, but Tai Lung is my favorite character villain at DreamWorks. I just love Tai Lung and the fact that he’s back in this film makes me insane as a fan of Kung Fu Panda. But the thing that I love about this villain is one, she’s a female, Po’s never faced a female villain before, and two, she’s more supernatural than any other of the villains put together. She’s got crazy powers. She’s also this big [gestures], she’s very small. We’ve never seen that before. Usually, it’s brawn and she’s a very brainy, thoughtful, tricky, calculating character. Then, voiced by Viola Davis, you don’t even think of her as small. She’s like the biggest, most powerful character of all time.”
The tie between the Chameleon and Po is hinted at in the trailer, where she mentions that they aren’t so different. Nelson draws a parallel between Po and the Chameleon’s journeys. In the spirit of the first Kung Fu Panda movie, where Po was underestimated as the Dragon Warrior due to his unconventional qualities, the Chameleon faces similar skepticism. Like Po, she rises to become a formidable force in kung fu, showcasing resilience and skill.
In essence, the connection between Po and the Chameleon lies in their shared experience of being underestimated and defying expectations, each rising to greatness in their own way. Nelson describes this film as a love letter to the first Kung Fu Panda, emphasizing the thematic link between the characters’ journeys.
”But the tie that she has, I think in the trailer she says that Po and her aren’t so different. The thing that makes him similar is when we made this film, it was kind of a love letter to the first Kung Fu Panda movie that we all love so much, and in that first film, if you remember, Po was completely underestimated. No one thought he could be the Dragon Warrior. “How is the portly panda gonna fight and use kung fu?” And then he does it! He does it in his own way. He doesn’t change who he is, he doesn’t change the shape of his body, he uses it in certain ways.”
Mike Mitchell added,
”So, similarly, this chameleon is very small in stature, no one believed that she could be so powerful, no one believed that she could do kung fu, and like Po, she rose to the top of her game. So Po has become the greatest hero and now she’s the greatest villain. That’s mostly what I’m willing to tell you about their connection right now.”
We will have to wait and see how the fourth Kung Fu Panda film will turn out once it is released on March 8, 2024, as fans are certainly very excited for the movie.
Kung Fu Panda 4 Might Lead To A New Trilogy
The director Mike Mitchell, and producer Rebecca Huntley of Kung Fu Panda 4 recently participated in an interview with Next Best Picture. When asked about the potential for the upcoming film to initiate a new trilogy, Mitchell didn’t confirm the franchise’s future but expressed that a trilogy could be possible.
“It’s very possible. Like, I don’t think anyone will ever get tired of seeing Jack Black as this panda. I mean, he just is this panda. He comes up with all of the ‘skadooshes,’ all the ‘sha-sha-booeys’ and stuff. We could watch him forever. That said, we have made the most epic chapter of this franchise here.”
Mitchell also teased the introduction of numerous new characters in the upcoming movie. However, he acknowledged that the abundance of new characters might not necessarily be viewed as entirely positive, raising intriguing possibilities for the film.
