Directed by Mike Mitchell & Stephanie Stine, Kung Fu Panda 4 is the fourth installment in the Kung Fu Panda franchise and sequel to Kung Fu Panda 3. The movie features voices of actors Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, James Hong, Bryan Cranston, and Ian McShane who will be reprising their roles from previous movies. Actors Viola Davis, Ke Huy Quan, Awkwafina, and more will be joining the original cast for the fourth installment.
Kung Fu Panda 4, scheduled for release on March 8th, 2024, follows Po on a quest to find and train his successor as the new Dragon Warrior before he retires. He teams up with fox bandit Zhen to defeat the evil sorceress- The Chameleon, voiced by Viola Davis. The director opened up about the delay in the sequel movie.
Kung Fu Panda 4 director Mike Mitchell shares why was the movie delayed
In an interview with Collider, Kung Fu Panda 4 director Mike Mitchell and producer Rebecca Huntley were asked about why was the fourth installment delayed for seven years. To which Mike Mitchell replied,
“Yeah, we took a long time. And in fact, that’s why it took so long to make it. We wanted to make sure that we had the best story moving forward, and that took a while. We didn’t just want to make another one. We knew it was gonna be funny and action-packed, but we needed to make sure that we had the proper story to tell that would allow our lead character to evolve and learn.”
Mitchell also added that they wanted to find the right theme and villain for the story. He added that the wait was worth it because they have a great story, the best technology, and the best artists to work on the movie so they are really thankful for that.
Producer Rebecca Huntley also chimed in to share that the time allowed them to put the best visuals on-screen that completely supported their action.
In an interview with Hindustan Times, the director and the producer shared,
“We really wanted Po to evolve. We wanted to meet new characters. We wanted to visit new worlds. We wanted to expand his world, so that took a while to get right and design it all.”
Mike Mitchell noted that they find it interesting how these characters stand the test of time and evolve. They are excited for the audience to witness the same.
Kung Fu Panda 4 director says Tai Lung is his favorite but The Chameleon is a powerful villain
During his conversation with Collider, Mike Mitchell was asked about the villain in the upcoming movie; The Chameleon voiced by Viola Davis. To which he said Tai Lung; a snow leopard voiced by Ian McShane is his favorite character villain. Talking about the The Chameleon he said,
“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 (The Chameleon) 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.”
The director went on to explain that the character of The Chameleon has ‘crazy powers’ which the audience will get to see. He goes on to describe the character as brainy, thoughtful, tricky, and calculative adding that the fact that Viola Davis is voicing it, it should be understood that The Chameleon is going to be one of the most powerful characters of all time.
Talking about the Furious Five- Crane, Viper, Monkey, Mantis, and Tiger, Mike Mitchell admits that The Furious Five will make an appearance in the movie but noted that Po is leaving the Valley of Peace and going on a huge adventure. Huntley lastly added that Po who is voiced by actor Jack Black will encounter various new characters on his journey and they are excited for the audience to see that.
Kung Fu Panda 4 is scheduled for release on March 8th, 2024.
