Po (Jack Black) in DreamWorks Animation’s ‘Kung Fu Panda 4,’ directed by Mike Mitchell.
Arriving in theaters on Friday, March 8th, ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ marks the return of the animated adventures for Jack Black’s martial arts panda. Revisiting the Valley of Peace after nearly a decade, the movie will need to prove itself even more than your average sequel.
Which has us asking, of course…
Is ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ a Worthy Continuation of the Franchise?
There is good news to report for ‘Kung Fu Panda’ fans (Fandas?) –– the new outing, the first since ‘Kung Fu Panda 3’ in 2016 (not counting the TV spin-offs) is a frothy, diverting affair. While it suffers in not really having a great villain, the usual spirit of Kung Fu Panda lives on in this new offering.
Somewhat naturally that has a lot to do with the effervescent charm of Jack Black, who fully inherits and powers the role, but he’s backed up by an able assortment of returning and new performers.
Jack Black voices Po in DreamWorks Animation’s ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’, directed by Mike Mitchell.
The script, by Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger and Darren Lemke shows the hallmarks of writers who have plenty of experience with this world and its characters. Both Aibel and Berger have scripted the other ‘Panda’ films, while Lemke has worked on a few DreamWorks Animation movies, but also has experience on the likes of ‘Shazam!’ and ‘Goosebumps’ (the latter starring Black).
It is also helpful that while it certainly references the franchise’s past (the villain’s plot involves invoking old baddies to steal their powers and fighting styles to augment her own, and Po’s two dads receive their own subplot that eventually ties into the main story), it also has one eye on the future.
Having Po facing the dilemma of giving up being the Dragon Warrior –– a role and responsibility he has less grown into than more grown comfortable with –– while also being tasked with choosing a successor is a helpful, organic framework with which to plot new storylines. Because you just know if this one is a success, DreamWorks will want more.
Finally, it doesn’t hurt that the screenplay is light on its feet and features a number of solid gags, both one-off and runners that work well (one highlight is a guard at the big bad’s palace who points out the error in her plan until his colleagues demand he stops).
Po (Jack Black) in ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ directed by Mike Mitchell.
On the directing front, the movie’s in good hands with Mike Mitchell, who has plenty of experience on both the animated and live-action front and has proved to deliver regularly for DreamWorks.
Here working with co-director Stephanie Ma Stine, he proves to be the right person to bring this latest film to life, working with the animation and tech teams to find creative ways to explore action set pieces and getting the best out of the voice cast. Particularly impressive is a sequence set in the Jade Palace, where Black’s Po confronts crafty, thieving fox Zhen (Awkwafina) and multiple priceless antiquities are put at risk.
Yes, older audiences will see where the story is going from the minute the two leads meet, but the journey in this case is an engaging one.
Performances
(from left) Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) and Po (Jack Black) in DreamWorks Animation’s ‘Kung Fu Panda 4,’ directed by Mike Mitchell.
With Black back in a role that he typically shines in, Po is his usual friendly, hungry self. There’s really not much to having the character work besides the actor’s energy and the occasional “Skidoosh!”, but Black makes it so that you’re happy following our hero along on his latest adventure.
Awkwafina, meanwhile, has been proving her voice-acting mettle in the last few years, working on projects for Disney and Illumination. If she finds her way into an English dub of a Miyazaki movie, she’ll have worked for most of the major animation companies releasing movies in the States.
Zhen (Awkwafina) in DreamWorks Animation’s ‘Kung Fu Panda 4,’ directed by Mike Mitchell.
Her Zhen is a lively, quick-witted type, the writers finding gags that work for her and the animators locking in on her offbeat energy.
Viola Davis fares less well as the villainous Chameleon. Her role is very much a standard scheming baddie with a magic plot to harness powers and rule… well, everything. Davis brings her usual gravitas to the part, but aside from some fun abilities once she goes through with her scheme, Chameleon is less memorable than, say, Ian McShane’s Tai Lung (the baddie from the first movie, here drawn back from the spirit world).
On the supporting front, the likes of Bryan Cranston, James Hong and Dustin Hoffman offer typically light-hearted spins on their characters’ schtick, while Ke Huy Quan makes an impression as Han, the king of thieves who factors into both Zhen’s backstory and the final act.
‘Kung Fu Panda 4’: Final Thoughts
(from left) Po (Jack Black) and Zhen (Awkwafina) in DreamWorks Animation’s ‘Kung Fu Panda 4,’ directed by Mike Mitchell.
Smartly focusing on just a few characters (some franchise faithful fans will be disappointed to learn that the Furious Five –– AKA the masters voiced by Seth Rogen, Jackie Chan, Angelina Jolie and Lucy Liu are conveniently busy off on their own missions, though they do show up for near wordless cameos right at the end), ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ justifies this long-anticipated return to the venerable DreamWorks movie series, without too much of the cash-in effect.
It suffers from a less-than-fantastic villain, but if we’re honest, the bad guys are usually an excuse to give Po his latest mission. And between Black, Awkwafina and some of the other cast, it’s more crowd-pleaser than animated slog.
‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the story of ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’?
After three death-defying adventures defeating world-class villains with his unmatched courage and mad martial arts skills, Po, the Dragon Warrior (Jack Black), is called upon by destiny to… give it a rest already. More specifically, he’s tapped to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace.
That poses a couple of obvious problems. First, Po knows as much about spiritual leadership as he does about the paleo diet, and second, he needs to quickly find and train a new Dragon Warrior before he can assume his new lofty position.
Even worse, there’s been a recent sighting of a wicked, powerful sorceress, Chameleon (Viola Davis), a tiny lizard who can shapeshift into any creature, large or small. And Chameleon has her greedy, beady little eyes on Po’s Staff of Wisdom, which would give her the power to re-summon all the master villains whom Po has vanquished to the spirit realm.
So, Po’s going to need some help…
Who else is in ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’?
Alongside Black and Davis, the cast also includes Awkwafina, Dustin Hoffman, James Hong, Bryan Cranston, Ian McShane and Ke Huy Quan.
Po (Jack Black) in DreamWorks Animation’s ‘Kung Fu Panda 4,’ directed by Mike Mitchell.
Moviefone has compiled a list of the most anticipated movies opening in theaters and/or streaming in 2024, which not only includes major studio releases but also smaller independent films that you won’t want to miss.
Ray Waller (Wyatt Russell) is a former major league baseball player forced into early retirement by a degenerative illness. He moves into a new home with his concerned wife Eve (Kerry Condon) and their two children. Secretly hoping, against the odds, to return to pro ball, Ray persuades Eve that the new home’s shimmering backyard swimming pool will be fun for the kids and provide physical therapy for him. But a dark secret in the home’s past will unleash a malevolent force that will drag the family under, into the depths of inescapable terror.
Struggling to find a better life, Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield) is captivated by the power of the rising Messiah and soon risks everything to carve a path to a divine existence.
New student Cady Heron (Angourie Rice) is welcomed into the top of the social food chain by the elite group of popular girls called ‘The Plastics,’ ruled by the conniving queen bee Regina George (Renee Rapp) and her minions Gretchen (Bebe Woods) and Karen (Avantika). However, when Cady makes the major misstep of falling for Regina’s ex-boyfriend Aaron Samuels (Christopher Briney), she finds herself prey in Regina’s crosshairs. As Cady sets to take down the group’s apex predator with the help of her outcast friends Janis (Auli’i Cravalho) and Damian (Jaquel Spivey), she must learn how to stay true to herself while navigating the most cutthroat jungle of all: high school.
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(L-R) Kaley Cuoco as “Emma” and David Oyelowo as “Dave” in the action comedy, ‘Role Play,’ a Prime Video release. Photo courtesy of Prime Video.
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(L to R) Nat Wolff and Lucy Hale in ‘Which Brings Me To You.’ Photo: Decal.
Two romantic burnouts, Jane (Lucy Hale) and Will (Nat Wolff), are immediately drawn to each other at a mutual friend’s wedding. After a disastrous hookup in the coatroom, the two spend the next 24 hours together, trading candid confessions of messy histories and heartbreak, on the off chance that this fling might be the real thing.
(L to R) Dolph Lundgren as “Johansen” and Christina Villa as “Rosa” in the action thriller, ‘Wanted Man,’ a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
Johansen (Dolph Lundgren) is an aging detective, whose outdated policing methods have given the department a recent public relations problem. To save his job, he is sent to Mexico to extradite a female witness (Christina Villa) to the murders of two DEA agents. Once there, he finds not only his old opinions challenged, but that bad hombres on both sides of the border are now gunning for him and his witness.
(L to R) Jon Bernthal as Brett Hamilton and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Isabel Wilkerson in director Ava DuVernay’s ‘Origin.’ Photo: Neon.
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(L to R) Scott Haze and Kate Lyn Sheil in ‘The Seeding,’ a Magnet release. Photo courtesy of Magnet Releasing.
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(L to R) Martin Freeman as Jonathan Miller and Jenna Ortega as Cairo Sweet in ‘Miller’s Girl.’ Photo Credit: Zac Popik.
A talented young writer (Jenna Ortega) embarks on a creative odyssey when her teacher (Martin Freeman) assigns a project that entangles them both in an increasingly complex web. As lines blur and their lives intertwine, professor and protégé must confront their darkest selves while straining to preserve their individual sense of purpose and the things they hold most dear.
(L to R) Henry Cavill, Dua Lipa, and John Cena in ‘Argylle,’ directed by Matthew Vaughn.
When the plots of reclusive author Elly Conway’s (Bryce Dallas Howard) fictional espionage novels begin to mirror the covert actions of a real-life spy organization, quiet evenings at home become a thing of the past. Accompanied by her cat Alfie and Aiden (Sam Rockwell), a cat-allergic spy, Elly races across the world to stay one step ahead of the killers as the line between Conway’s fictional world and her real one begins to blur.
‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ hits Paramount+ on February 2nd. Photo: Paramount+.
A young boy (Brandon Soo Hoo) in San Francisco who meets a talking tiger named Mr. Hu (Henry Golding) and discovers he is the latest in a long line of guardians who protect an ancient phoenix from evil-doers.
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Kingsley Ben-Adir as Bob Marley in ‘Bob Marley: One Love.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Celebrates the life and music of an icon who inspired generations through his message of love and unity. Discover Bob Marley’s (Kinsley Ben-Adir) powerful story of overcoming adversity and the journey behind his revolutionary music.
Russell Crowe as Reaper in the action film, ‘Land of Bad,’ a release by The Avenue. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.
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Hilary Swank as Sharon Stevens in ‘Ordinary Angels.’ Photo Credit: Allen Fraser.
Based on a remarkable true story, ‘Ordinary Angels’ centers on Sharon Steves (Hilary Swank), a fierce but struggling hairdresser in small-town Kentucky who discovers a renewed sense of purpose when she meets Ed Schmitt (Alan Ritchson), a widower working hard to make ends meet for his two daughters. With his youngest daughter waiting for a liver transplant, Sharon sets her mind to helping the family and will move mountains to do it. What unfolds is the inspiring tale of faith, everyday miracles, and ordinary angels.
(L to R) Margaret Qualley as “Jamie” and Geraldine Viswanathan as “Marian” in director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.
Jamie (Margaret Qualley), an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way.
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As an astronaut (Adam Sandler) sent to the edge of the galaxy to collect mysterious ancient dust finds his earthly life falling to pieces, he turns to the only voice (Paul Dano) who can help him try to put it back together. It just so happens to belong to a creature from the beginning of time lurking in the shadows of his ship.
(L to R) Jermaine Fowler, Zac Efron and Andrew Santino in ‘Ricky Stanicky.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.
When three childhood (Zac Efron, Andrew Santino and Jermaine Fowler) best friends pull a prank gone wrong, they invent the imaginary Ricky Stanicky to get them out of trouble. Twenty years later, the trio still uses the nonexistent Ricky as a handy alibi for their immature behavior. But when their spouses and partners get suspicious and demand to finally meet the fabled Mr. Stanicky, the guilty trio decide to hire a washed-up actor and raunchy celebrity impersonator (John Cena) to bring him to life.
(from left) Po (Jack Black) and Zhen (Awkwafina) in ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ directed by Mike Mitchell.
Po (Jack Black) is gearing up to become the spiritual leader of his Valley of Peace, but also needs someone to take his place as Dragon Warrior. As such, he will train a new kung fu practitioner for the spot and will encounter a villain called the Chameleon (Viola Davis) who conjures villains from the past.
Zach Braff as Gordon Kinski in the romantic comedy, ‘French Girl,’ a Paramount Global Content Distribution Group release. Photo courtesy of Paramount Global Content Distribution Group.
Gordon (Zach Braff), a hopeless romantic, finds his proposal plans are thrown into chaos when his girlfriend (Evelyne Brochu) is swept away to Quebec by a job offer from her ex, a sophisticated celebrity chef (Vanessa Hudgens). Determined to keep their love alive, Gordon leaves Brooklyn for her hometown, only to find himself hilariously out of his depth in attempting to charm her hard-to-impress, French-speaking family.
Russell Crowe as “Roy Freeman” in the Action/Crime/Thriller film ‘Sleeping Dogs,’ a The Avenue release. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.
Roy Freeman (Russell Crowe), who is undergoing a cutting-edge Alzheimer’s treatment, is forced to grapple with the impact of an investigation from his former life after a death row inmate that Freeman arrested 10 years prior starts to proclaim his innocence. Intrigued and fighting to regain his memory, Freeman enlists his former partner to help him revive the case and discover the truth. Together, they set off to unravel a tangled web of secrets, forcing Freeman to make some horrific discoveries.
(L to R) Justice Smith as “Aren”, David Alan Grier as “Roger” and Aisha Hinds as “Gabbard” in writer/director Kobi Libii’s ‘The American Society of Magical Negroes,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Tobin Yelland/Focus Features.
‘The American Society of Magical Negroes’ is a fresh, satirical comedy about a young man, Aren (Justin Smith), who is recruited into a secret society of magical Black people who dedicate their lives to a cause of utmost importance: making white people’s lives easier.
‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.’ Photo: Sony Pictures.
The Spengler family (Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard and Carrie Coon) returns to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse – to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.
This latest entry in the Monsterverse franchise follows up the explosive showdown of Godzilla vs. Kong with an all-new cinematic adventure, pitting the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence – and our own. The epic new film will delve further into the histories of these Titans, their origins, and the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.
‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’ opens in theaters on April 19th. Photo Credit: Daniel Smith.
Based upon recently declassified files of the British War Department and inspired by true events, ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’ is an action-comedy that tells the story of the first-ever special forces organization formed during WWII by UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill and a small group of military officials including author Ian Fleming (Freddie Fox). The top-secret combat unit, composed of a motley crew of rogues and mavericks, goes on a daring mission against the Nazis using entirely unconventional and utterly “ungentlemanly” fighting techniques. Ultimately their audacious approach changed the course of the war and laid the foundation for the British SAS and modern Black Ops warfare.
Based on a remarkable true story, ‘Unsung Hero’ follows David Smallbone (Joel Smallbone) as he moves his family from Down Under to the States, searching for a brighter future after his successful music company collapses. With nothing more than their seven children, suitcases, and their love of music, David and his pregnant wife Helen (Daisy Betts) set out to rebuild their lives. Helen’s faith stands against all odds and inspires her husband and children to hold onto theirs. With their own dreams on hold, David and Helen begin to realize the musical prowess in their children, who would go on to become two of the most successful acts in Inspirational Music history.
From visionary filmmaker Luca Guadagnino, ‘Challengers’ stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Married to a champion on a losing streak (Mike Faist – ‘West Side Story‘), Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against the washed-up Patrick (Josh O’Connor – ‘The Crown‘) – his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend. As their pasts and presents collide, and tensions run high, Tashi must ask herself, what will it cost to win.
(L to R) Ryan Gosling is Colt Seavers and Emily Blunt is Judy Moreno in ‘The Fall Guy,’ directed by David Leitch.
He’s a stuntman (Ryan Gosling), and like everyone in the stunt community, he gets blown up, shot, crashed, thrown through windows and dropped from the highest of heights, all for our entertainment. And now, fresh off an almost career-ending accident, this working-class hero has to track down a missing movie star, solve a conspiracy and try to win back the love of his life while still doing his day job. What could possibly go right?
(L to R) Ryan Reynolds and Cailey Fleming star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘IF.’
The story of a girl (Cailey Fleming) who discovers that she can see everyone’s imaginary friends — and what she does with that superpower — as she embarks on a magical adventure to reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids.
(L to R) Froy Gutierrez as “Ryan” and Madelaine Petsch as “Maya” in ‘The Strangers’ Trilogy, a Lionsgate release. Photo Credit: John Armour for Lionsgate.
After their car breaks down, a couple driving cross-country to begin a new life in the Pacific Northwest is forced to spend the night in a secluded rental, where they are terrorized from dusk till dawn by three masked strangers.
Director Wes Ball breathes new life into the global, epic franchise set several generations in the future following Caesar’s reign, in which apes are the dominant species living harmoniously and humans have been reduced to living in the shadows. As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all that he has known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.
Teenager Riley’s mind headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new Emotions! Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Tony Hale) and Disgust (Liza Lapira), who’ve long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone.
Kathy (Jodie Comer), a strong-willed member of the Vandals who’s married to a wild, reckless bikerider named Benny (Austin Butler), recounts the Vandals’ evolution over the course of a decade, beginning as a local club of outsiders united by good times, rumbling bikes and respect for their strong, steady leader Johnny (Tom Hardy). As life in the Vandals gets more dangerous, and the club threatens to become a more sinister gang, Kathy, Benny and Johnny are forced to make choices about their loyalty to the club and to each other.
‘Borderlands.’ Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
After returning to her home-planet Pandora, infamous outlaw, Lilith (Cate Blanchett), is given a dangerous mission and forms an alliance (and potential friendship) with other criminals; including former mercenary Roland (Kevin Hart), demolitionst Tiny Tina and her protector Krieg, insane scientist Tannis, and the wisecracking robot Claptrap (Jack Black). The mission: find and protect the missing (and important) daughter of a very powerful man named Atlas. Although, things may not be as they seem, as the girl holds the key to great power, one that can change the fate of the entire universe.
‘Horizon: An American Saga: Chapter 1.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
Chapter 2 continues to explore the lure of the old West and takes audiences on a treacherous journey across a country at war with itself, experienced through the lens of families, friends and foes all attempting to discover what it truly means to be the United States of America.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Sergei Kravinoff / Kraven the Hunter in ‘Kraven the Hunter.’
‘Kraven the Hunter’ is the visceral story about how and why one of Marvel’s most iconic villains came to be. Set before his notorious vendetta with Spider-Man, Aaron Taylor-Johnson stars as the titular character in the R-rated film.
Transformers One is the untold origin story of Optimus Prime (Chris Hemsworth) and Megatron (Brian Tyree Henry), better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever.
(L to R) Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck / Joker and Lady Gaga as Dr. Harleen Quinzel / Harley Quinn in ‘Joker: Folie à Deux.’ Photo: Todd Phillips’ Instagram Account.
Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), an ostracized but defiant girl born with green skin, and Glinda (Ariana Grande), a privileged aristocrat born popular, become extremely unlikely friends in the magical Land of Oz. As the two girls struggle with their opposing personalities, their friendship is tested as both begin to fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and The Wicked Witch of the West. The first of a two-part film adaptation of the Broadway musical.
Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn Elessar in director Peter Jackson’s ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.’
Focused on the mighty King of Rohan, Helm Hammerhand, and a legendary battle which helped shaped Middle Earth leading into the events of ‘The Lord of the Rings.’
Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Sergei Kravinoff / Kraven the Hunter in ‘Kraven the Hunter.’
‘Kraven the Hunter’ is the visceral story about how and why one of Marvel’s most iconic villains came to be. Set before his notorious vendetta with Spider-Man, Aaron Taylor-Johnson stars as the titular character in the R-rated film.
Cillian Murphy stars in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written and directed by Christopher Nolan.
Universal, which has suffered some mixed fortunes in recent years (and has raised the ire of theater chains with its day-and-date Peacock policy for movies such as ‘Halloween Kills’), does at least have an apparently solid slate of 27 movies ready for cinemas this year.
With 800lb gorilla (no, not King Kong, he works for someone else) ‘Fast X’ driving in soon, a healthy offering of horror, comedy and the result of winning over Christopher Nolan headed our way (that would be ‘Oppenheimer’), Universal also has had some better luck of late via the likes of giant hit ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ and the more modest success of ‘Cocaine Bear’.
Avoiding talk of “giant bombs” (best when considering movies), Universal’s presentation kicked off with a sizzle reel of filmmakers it has or is working with, and then got into the meat of the matter… Let’s go Nolan!
‘Oppenheimer’
Director Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy on the set of ‘Oppenheimer.’
Having snatched Christopher Nolan from the clutches of Warner Bros., the studio kicked off its presentation with the director and his latest dramatic opus, ‘Oppenheimer’.
The story, rooted in historical truth is of the scientist (played in the movie by Cillian Murphy) who led the team developing the atomic bomb. It’s a narrative with baked-in drama and plenty of ethical handwringing, not just because their experiments could have set fire to the atmosphere (as Nolan mentions).
Some fresh footage was shown to the crowd, with Nolan saying the new trailer will debut in front of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ but played in the room to the audience. It features the team hard at work, but also has scenes featuring Russian development of the technology, sparking fears of espionage.
And he’s done. Boom! ‘Oppenheimer’ will arrive in theaters on July 21st, coincidentally (OR IS IT?) the same day as Warner Bros.’ ‘Barbie’.
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Following a brief interlude from President of Domestic Theatrical Distribution Jim Orr (who boasted about Universal not buying, but building franchises), the presentation was handed over to President of Distribution Veronica Kwan Vandenberg touting some of the successes of 2022, including ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ and ‘Ticket to Paradise’.
And with that, we’re headed to Illumination territory, with a message from Steve Carell’s Gru. And on stage, Chris Meledandri, who walks out to the ‘Super Mario Bros.’ music. And who wouldn’t, given that the movie is about to cross a billion dollars at the box office worldwide?
But even with the Nintendo-powered mega-hit still going, the company wants to talk about original movies, starting with birds…
‘Migration’
This holiday season, Illumination invites you to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation like no other in the action-packed new original comedy, Migration.
Following a brief, mysterious teaser earlier this month, we’re getting more footage and details of the story, which will be road trip movie, just focused on ducks taking flight when a family convinced their overprotective father to take them.
This holiday season, Illumination invites you to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation like no other in the action-packed new original comedy, Migration.
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Following that, the presentation went straight to the dogs. Which is to say…
‘Strays’
Will Ferrell arrives to pimp the raunchy live action/CG canine comedy, bringing with him the adorable Sophie, who plays his pooch character Reggie in the movie. Sophie steals some of the attention away from Ferrell, who starts listing his IMDb credits in order to compete.
It’s all to introduce an extended look at ‘Strays’, which already has a trailer online and features the voices of Jamie Foxx, Isla Fisher, Brett Gelman and more, plus Bill Hader as Reggie’s human owner.
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Switching from family fare to horror, time for Blumhouse.
Jason Blum is here to celebrate the success of ‘M3GAN’ and nodding to the sequel in development with hopes of a 2025 release.
Their big hope is a reunion with ‘Halloween’s David Gordon Green, who has been handed the keys to the ‘Exorcist’ franchise. He’s planning another trilogy, with the first movie due this year.
The trailer reveals that rather than just one girl, this time it’s two –– everything’s bigger these days, right? They’re played by Lidya Jewett and Olivia Marcum.
As for the footage, it begins with Leslie Odom Jr’s daughter missing. Turns out she was in the woods, but now she’s in the hospital. “Baby you’ve been gone three days,” he tells her. Later: She starts convulsing. But there are other younger girls getting impacted by the demonic possession. We see one enter a Catholic Church screaming “The body and the blood! The body and the blood!” Odom contacts Chris MacNeil and she steps in to help these folks with possessed children. Turns out she definitely knows something. She confronts one of the girls later in the trailer and exclaims, “we’ve met before.”
‘The Exorcist: The Believer’ possesses theater screens on October 13th.
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With something of cinematic whiplash, we’re back in family land for DreamWorks Animation.
‘Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken’
‘Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken’ will be in theaters on June 30th.
First up was DreamWorks’ watery new adventure ‘Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken’, which debuted some new –– if slightly incomplete footage.
Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake arrived on stage to tout their new ‘Trolls’ movie (something of an irony given that the last one led the charge away from theatrical and to streaming as the pandemic bit). The duo lightly roasted the crowd (and each other) before revealing that the new movie will be about reuniting a boy band (seems fitting, given Timberlake’s presence).
The music returns to screens (big ones this time) on November 17th.
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And now, on to one of the company’s truly big hitters…
‘Kung Fu Panda 4’
Jack Black took the stage to wax rhapsodic about how the movies are his biggest franchise and that Po the Panda is his most iconic character. The funniest part of the presentation? It’s too early for a trailer, so Black did a dramatic reading of the plot. Po will be looking for a successor and taking on a new villain called The Chameleon –– a sorceress who can summon people from the past.
‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ is quite a ways away –– March 8 next year, in fact.
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Focus Features
(L to R) Jake Ryan, Jason Schwartzman and Tom Hanks in director Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features.
‘Asteroid City’ is due in theaters on June 23rd, with ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ on September 22nd, ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3’ opening September 8th and ‘The Holdovers’ arriving November 22nd.
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Not quite last, and certainly not least…
‘Fast X’
(L to R) Vin Diesel and Daniela Melchior in ‘Fast X,’ directed by Louis Leterrier.
Vin Diesel and several of the ‘Fast’ cast showed up to talk the latest entry in the mega franchise. Diesel went off script to explain how grateful he was to theater owners and remember Paul Walker before the gang introduced some new footage.
Well, “new” in that it features a big exposition dump about the story so far in the movie itself to help catch up Brie Larson’s Tess. That segued into an extended take on the most recent trailer.
‘Fast X’ drives in on May 19th, to be followed next year by the 11th movie, planned as a tiny arthouse movie shot entirely in black and whi… just kidding.
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We’re promised a couple more surprises (much like Steve Jobs’ classic “one more thing…” at Apple shows).
‘The Fall Guy’
‘Barbie’ CinemaCon 2023 Presentation and Press Line, April 25th. Photos By Eric Charbonneau.
Ahead of the new Ryan Gosling/Emily Blunt movie, director David Leitch had his Eighty-Seven North stunt team put on a live show for the crowd. Then it was on to ‘The Fall Guy’ footage, which sees Gosling playing Colt Severs, a retired stuntman who is called in to help find a missing star of a new movie being directed by his ex-girlfriend (Blunt).
Blunt and Gosling were both on stage with Leitch, celebrating the dedicated stunt professionals who make movies like this one possible.
‘The Fall Guy’ will land in theaters on March 1st next year.
Finally, the real one last thing…
‘Wicked’
Though Jon M. Chu’s musical adaptation (in two parts) of the hit musical isn’t going to arrive until next year, we got a look at some rough early footage, including Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as the central witch characters and a snatch of the story’s most famous song, ‘Defying Gravity’.
‘Wicked’s first part will be in theaters on November 27th next year, followed by Part Two on December 25th, 2025.
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And that’s it for Universal!
‘Fast X’ Logo. Courtesy of Vin Diesel’s Instagram account.
Movies Presented at Universal Pictures 2023 CinemaCon Presentation:
If there’s one thing we know about DreamWorks Animation, it’s that the company is not one to let a successful franchise venture off into the sunset.
We’re not surprised, then, to see that the ‘Kung Fu Panda’ movie series will be coming back – but not until 2024.
So far, all we really know about the movie is the fact that it’ll be out on March 8th, 2024 as Universal and DWA stick a pin in that release date, which right now only has ‘A Quiet Place: Day One,’ and the new ‘Panda’ could well serve as family-friendly counterprogramming to the expansion of Paramount’s creature feature franchise.
No director or even a confirmation of the voice cast has been revealed about the latest ‘Kung Fu Panda’, but since the studio was confident enough to announce a release date, we can reasonably assume that production is underway, even if it’s still at an early stage. These movies, after all, usually take between three to five years to make.
We can reasonably predict that Jack Black will be back as Po, and since these job only involve turning up to a recording booth (or, in this pandemic world, setting yourself up in a closet or room of your home) a few times, the rest of the star cast are likely to be back alongside him.
What will Po face this time? That’s still a mystery, but it’ll be something to test his bravery and skill as ever.
The franchise, in terms of movies alone, has earned more than $1.8 billion since its launch in 2008.
Jack Black in 2008’s ‘Kung Fu Panda.’
‘Kung Fu Panda’, which was directed by Mark Osborne and John Stevenson, kicked off the story of Po (Black), a wide-eyed panda who is mostly known for being lazy and having a huge appetite. He’s also a massive fan of martial artists and dreams of fighting alongside the legendary Furious Five.
No-one is more surprised than he, then, when he’s selected as the hero who can defend the Valley of Peace.
He’ll need everything he’s learned and the help of those formidable warriors for help when the scheming snow leopard warrior Tai Lung (Ian McShane) escapes prison and wreaks havoc on the valley.
Since then, Po and the Five have been on various adventures across the three movies and their stories have also spread to TV.
Nickelodeon has ‘Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness’, which features a different voice cast, while Netflix’s ‘Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight’ boasts the talents of Black, James Hong (as Po’s adoptive goose father, Mr. Ping) and Rita Ora.
And they were just the tip of the iceberg, as Po and co. have been plastered over toys, video games, books and theme park attractions.
