Information reaching Kossyderrickent has it that Po is chosen to become the Spiritual Leader in Kung Fu Panda 4.
Kung Fu Panda 4 was officially announced back in August 2022, with a release date set for early 2024. However, it was only recently, in April of this year, that more information about the movie was revealed at CinemaCon by Jack Black. While no official footage of the movie was shared, Jack Black did reveal some intriguing story details. Kung Fu Panda 4 will likely take place after a significant time skip following the events of Kung Fu Panda 3. The story will focus on Po’s new role as he trains the next generation of Dragon Warriors, passing down the torch to his successor. One of the main candidates Po will be mentoring is a fox named Zhen, who also shares a close bond with Po.
The new character in question for Kung Fu Panda 4 will be a fox named Zhen. Zhen will be introduced as a mentee of Po’s, with the latter training the former to become the next Dragon Warrior. This naturally provides a big shift in the status quo of the franchise as the first three Kung Fu Panda films were centered on Po learning to become the fabled hero himself and overcoming the difficulties that came with the mantle.Â
Kung Fu Panda 4 will introduce a new character central to Po’s journey, completing the franchise’s 16-year-old retcon. By the time of Kung Fu Panda 4’s release date in 2024, the first movie will be nearing its 16th anniversary. The first movie spawned two sequels, Kung Fu Panda 2 and Kung Fu Panda 3 in 2011 and 2016 respectively, seemingly rounding out the trilogy that centered on Po’s journey to become the fabled Dragon Warrior and save China from evil kung fu masters.
However, in August 2022, DreamWorks Pictures announced that a fourth Kung Fu Panda film was in development. Since then, little has been revealed about the return of Po and the Furious Five until Jack Black’s appearance at CinemaCon 2023 in which the voice actor for the titular character revealed story details about Kung Fu Panda 4. Through these plot elements, it was confirmed that a new character would be introduced to the series to fight alongside Po and his allies. This character will complete the franchise’s oldest retcon which dates back to 2008 with the release of the first Kung Fu Panda.
Despite its immense popularity and success, fans have been eagerly awaiting a new entry since 2016’s Kung Fu Panda 3, which delved into Po’s background and his heritage, hinting at a rich and promising future for the series. DreamWorks Studios appears to be taking its time with the sequel, ensuring that it will be a blockbuster worthy of the franchise’s legacy. As anticipation builds, it’s crucial for Kung Fu Panda 4 to bring fresh elements to the table while maintaining the essence that made the prequels so beloved. The question arises; What is Kung Fu Panda 4 even about? Will Kung Fu Panda be able to recapture the glory of the first film? And how can Kung Fu Panda 4 improve even further upon the high bars set by its prequels?