Moviefone Editorial

Tag: kung-fu-panda

  • Movie Review: ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’

    Po (Jack Black) in DreamWorks Animation’s 'Kung Fu Panda 4,' directed by Mike Mitchell.
    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.

    Related Article: Jack Black Starring in Christmas Comedy ‘Dear Santa’ for The Farrelly Brothers

    Script and Direction

    Jack Black voices Po in DreamWorks Animation’s 'Kung Fu Panda 4', directed by Mike Mitchell.
    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.
    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.
    (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.
    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.
    (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.
    Po (Jack Black) in DreamWorks Animation’s ‘Kung Fu Panda 4,’ directed by Mike Mitchell.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Kung Fu Panda 4′:

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  • Best Seth Rogen Movies

    Seth Rogen at CinemaCon 2023.
    Seth Rogen at CinemaCon 2023. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

    Seth Rogen is one of the busiest actors in Hollywood!

    Not only does he star in hit movies like ‘Knocked Up‘ and ‘Pineapple Express,’ but he has also co-written with his partner Evan Goldberg popular films such as ‘Superbad‘ and ‘Sausage Party,’ and co-directed ‘This Is the End‘ and ‘The Interview.’ Rogen and Goldberg also produced the recent horror movie ‘Cobweb,’ and the Prime Video series ‘The Boys‘ and ‘Invincible.’

    ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,’ which was co-written and produced by Rogen and features the actor as the voice of Bebop, opens in theaters on August 4th. In honor of the new film, Moviefone is counting down the 35 best films of Seth Rogen’s career. For this list, we are including any movie that features Rogen, even in a small role, and any film that he either, wrote, produced or directed.

    Let’s begin!

    35. ‘The Green Hornet‘ (2011)

    Seth Rogen as Britt Reid and Jay Chou as Kato in 'The Green Hornet.'
    (L to R) Seth Rogen as Britt Reid and Jay Chou as Kato in ‘The Green Hornet.’ Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment.

    Britt Reid (Rogen), the heir to the largest newspaper fortune in Los Angeles, is a spoiled playboy who has been, thus far, happy to lead an aimless life. After his father dies, Britt meets Kato (Jay Chou), a resourceful company employee. Realizing that they have the talent and resources to make something of their lives, Britt and Kato join forces as costumed crime-fighters to bring down the city’s most-powerful criminal, Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz).

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    34. ‘Shrek the Third‘ (2007)

    The King (John Cleese) of Far Far Away has died and Shrek (Mike Myers) and Fiona (Cameron Diaz) are to become King & Queen. However, Shrek wants to return to his cozy swamp and live in peace and quiet, so when he finds out there is another heir (Justin Timberlake) to the throne, they set off to bring him back to rule the kingdom.

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    33. ‘Like Father‘ (2018)

    When a workaholic young executive (Kristen Bell), is left at the altar, she ends up on her Caribbean honeymoon cruise with the last person she ever expected: her estranged and equally workaholic father (Kelsey Grammer). The two depart as strangers, but over the course of a few hilarious adventures, a couple of umbrella-clad cocktails and a whole lot of soul-searching, they return with a renewed appreciation for family and life.

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    32. ‘The Night Before‘ (2015)

    In New York City for their annual tradition of Christmas Eve debauchery, three lifelong best friends (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anthony Mackie, and Rogen) set out to find the Holy Grail of Christmas parties since their yearly reunion might be coming to an end.

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    31. ‘You, Me and Dupree‘ (2006)

    After standing in as best man for his longtime friend Carl Petersen (Matt Dillon), Randy Dupree (Owen Wilson) loses his job, becomes a barfly and attaches himself to the newlywed couple almost permanently — as their houseguest. But the longer Dupree camps out on their couch, the closer he gets to Carl’s bride, Molly (Kate Hudson), leaving the frustrated groom wondering when his pal will be moving out.

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    30. ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie‘ (2023)

    'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' will open in theaters on April 7, 2023.
    ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ will open in theaters on April 7, 2023.

    While working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumbers—and brothers—Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) are transported down a mysterious pipe and wander into a magical new world. But when the brothers are separated, Mario embarks on an epic quest to find Luigi.

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    29. ‘Kung Fu Panda 3‘ (2016)

    Continuing his “legendary adventures of awesomeness”, Po (Jack Black) must face two hugely epic, but different threats: one supernatural and the other a little closer to his home.

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    28. ‘Zack and Miri Make a Porno‘ (2008)

    Lifelong platonic friends Zack (Rogen) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) look to solve their respective cash-flow problems by making an adult film together. As the cameras roll, however, the duo begin to sense that they may have more feelings for each other than they previously thought.

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    27. ‘Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising‘ (2016)

    A sorority moves in next door to the home of Mac (Rogen) and Kelly Radner (Rose Byrne) who have a young child. The Radner’s enlist their former nemeses (Zac Efron) from the fraternity to help battle the raucous sisters.

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    26. ‘Horton Hears a Who!‘ (2008)

    One day, Horton the elephant (Jim Carrey) hears a cry from help coming from a speck of dust. Even though he can’t see anyone on the speck, he decides to help it. As it turns out, the speck of dust is home to the Whos, who live in their city of Whoville. Horton agrees to help protect the Whos and their home.

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    25. ‘An American Pickle‘ (2020)

    Seth Rogen as Ben Greenbaum and Herschel Greenbaum in HBO Max's 'An American Pickle.'
    Seth Rogen as Ben Greenbaum and Herschel Greenbaum in HBO Max’s ‘An American Pickle.’ Photograph by Hopper Stone.

    An immigrant worker (Rogen) at a pickle factory is accidentally preserved for 100 years and wakes up in modern day Brooklyn. He learns his only surviving relative is his great grandson (Rogen), a computer coder who he can’t connect with.

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    24. ‘Step Brothers‘ (2008)

    Brennan Huff (Will Ferrell) and Dale Doback (John C. Reilly) might be grown men. But that doesn’t stop them from living at home and turning into jealous, competitive stepbrothers when their single parents marry. Brennan’s constant competition with Dale strains his mom’s (Mary Steenburgen) marriage to Dale’s (Richard Jenkins) dad, leaving everyone to wonder whether they’ll ever see eye to eye.

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    23. ‘Observe and Report‘ (2009)

    Mall security guard Ronnie Barnhardt (Rogen) is called into action to stop a flasher from turning shopper’s paradise into his personal peep show. But when Barnhardt can’t bring the culprit to justice, a surly police detective (Ray Liotta) is recruited to close the case.

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    22. ‘Kung Fu Panda 2‘ (2011)

    Po (Jack Black) is now living his dream as The Dragon Warrior, protecting the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, The Furious Five – Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Crane (David Cross), Mantis (Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu) and Monkey (Jackie Chan). But Po’s new life of awesomeness is threatened by the emergence of a formidable villain (Gary Oldman), who plans to use a secret, unstoppable weapon to conquer China and destroy kung fu. It is up to Po and The Furious Five to journey across China to face this threat and vanquish it. But how can Po stop a weapon that can stop kung fu? He must look to his past and uncover the secrets of his mysterious origins; only then will he be able to unlock the strength he needs to succeed.

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    21. ‘50/50‘ (2011)

    Inspired by a true story, a comedy centered on a 27-year-old guy (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who learns of his cancer diagnosis and his subsequent struggle to beat the disease.

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    20. ‘The Guilt Trip‘ (2012)

    Seth Rogen as Andrew Brewster and Barbra Streisand as Joyce Brewster in 'The Guilt Trip,' from Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions.
    (L to R) Seth Rogen as Andrew Brewster and Barbra Streisand as Joyce Brewster in ‘The Guilt Trip,’ from Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions. Photo credit: Sam Emerson. Copyright 2012 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

    An inventor (Rogen) and his mom (Barbra Streisand) hit the road together so he can sell his latest invention.

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    19. ‘The Interview‘ (2014)

    Dave Skylark (James Franco) and his producer Aaron Rapaport (Rogen) run the celebrity tabloid show “Skylark Tonight”. When they land an interview with a surprise fan, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, they are recruited by the CIA to turn their trip to Pyongyang into an assassination mission.

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    18. ‘Funny People‘ (2009)

    Famous and wealthy funnyman George Simmons (Adam Sandler) doesn’t give much thought to how he treats people until a doctor delivers stunning health news, forcing George to reevaluate his priorities with a little help from aspiring stand-up comic Ira (Rogen).

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    17. ‘Take This Waltz‘ (2012)

    Twenty-eight-year-old Margot (Michelle Williams) is happily married to Lou (Rogen), a good-natured cookbook author. But when Margot meets Daniel (Luke Kirby), a handsome artist who lives across the street, their mutual attraction is undeniable.

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    16. ‘This Is the End‘ (2013)

    While attending a party at James Franco’s house, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel and many other celebrities are faced with the apocalypse.

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    15. ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem‘ (2023)

    Seth Rogen as Bebop in 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.'
    Seth Rogen as Bebop in ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.’

    After years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtle brothers (Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Nicolas Cantu, and Brady Noon) set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers through heroic acts. Their new friend April O’Neil (Ayo Edebiri) helps them take on a mysterious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.

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    14. ‘The Lion King‘ (2019)

    Simba (Donald Glover) idolizes his father, King Mufasa (James Earl Jones), and takes to heart his own royal destiny. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub’s arrival. Scar (Chiwetel Ejiofor), Mufasa’s brother—and former heir to the throne—has plans of his own. The battle for Pride Rock is ravaged with betrayal, tragedy and drama, ultimately resulting in Simba’s exile. With help from a curious pair of newfound friends, Simba will have to figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his.

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    13. ‘Sausage Party‘ (2016)

    Frank (Rogen) leads a group of supermarket products on a quest to discover the truth about their existence and what really happens when they become chosen to leave the grocery store.

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    12. ‘Donnie Darko‘ (2001)

    After narrowly escaping a bizarre accident, a troubled teenager (Jake Gyllenhaal) is plagued by visions of a large bunny rabbit that manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.

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    11. ‘Long Shot‘ (2019)

    Journalist Fred Flarsky (Rogen) reunites with his childhood crush, Charlotte Field (Charlize Theron), now one of the most influential women in the world. As she prepares to make a run for the Presidency, Charlotte hires Fred as her speechwriter — much to the dismay of her trusted advisers.

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    10. ‘The Disaster Artist‘ (2017)

    Seth Rogen as Sandy Schklair in 'The Disaster Artist.'
    Seth Rogen as Sandy Schklair in ‘The Disaster Artist.’ Photo courtesy of A24.

    An aspiring actor (Dave Franco) in Hollywood meets an enigmatic stranger by the name of Tommy Wiseau (James Franco), the meeting leads the actor down a path nobody could have predicted; creating the worst movie ever made.

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    9. ‘Neighbors‘ (2014)

    A couple (Rogen and Rose Byrne) with a newborn baby face unexpected difficulties after they are forced to live next to a fraternity house.

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    8. ‘Kung Fu Panda‘ (2008)

    When the Valley of Peace is threatened, lazy Po (Jack Black) the panda discovers his destiny as the “chosen one” and trains to become a kung fu hero, but transforming the unsleek slacker into a brave warrior won’t be easy. It’s up to Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) and the Furious Five — Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Crane (David Cross), Mantis (Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu) and Monkey (Jackie Chan) — to give it a try.

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    7. ‘Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy‘ (2004)

    It’s the 1970s and San Diego anchorman Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) is the top dog in local TV, but that’s all about to change when ambitious reporter Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) arrives as a new employee at his station.

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    6. ‘Steve Jobs‘ (2015)

    Set backstage at three iconic product launches and ending in 1998 with the unveiling of the iMac, Steve Jobs (Michael Fassbender) takes us behind the scenes of the digital revolution to paint an intimate portrait of the brilliant man at its epicenter.

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    5. ‘The Fabelmans‘ (2022)

    Seth Rogen as Bennie Loewy in 'The Fabelmans', co-written, produced and directed by Steven Spielberg.
    Seth Rogen as Bennie Loewy in ‘The Fabelmans’, co-written, produced and directed by Steven Spielberg.

    Growing up in post-World War II era Arizona, young Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle) aspires to become a filmmaker as he reaches adolescence, but soon discovers a shattering family secret and explores how the power of films can help him see the truth.

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    4. ‘The 40 Year Old Virgin‘ (2005)

    Andy Stitzer (Steve Carrell) has a pleasant life with a nice apartment and a job stamping invoices at an electronics store. But at age 40, there’s one thing Andy hasn’t done, and it’s really bothering his sex-obsessed male co-workers: Andy is still a virgin. Determined to help Andy get laid, the guys make it their mission to de-virginize him. But it all seems hopeless until Andy meets small business owner Trish (Catherine Keener), a single mom.

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    3. ‘Knocked Up‘ (2007)

    For fun loving party animal Ben Stone (Rogen), the last thing he ever expected was for his one night stand to show up on his doorstep eight weeks later to tell him she’s (Katherine Heigl) pregnant.

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    2. ‘Superbad‘ (2007)

    Two co-dependent high school seniors (Jonah Hill and Michael Cera) are forced to deal with separation anxiety after their plan to stage a booze-soaked party goes awry.

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    1. ‘Pineapple Express‘ (2008)

    Danny McBride, Seth Rogen and James Franco in 'Pineapple Express.'
    (L to R) Danny McBride, Seth Rogen and James Franco in ‘Pineapple Express.’ Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment.

    A stoner (Rogen) and his dealer (James Franco) are forced to go on the run from the police after the pothead witnesses a cop commit a murder.

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  • ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ in the Works

    2008's 'Kung Fu Panda.'
    2008’s ‘Kung Fu Panda.’

    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.'
    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.

    Under the patient tutelage of Master Sifu (Dustin Hoffman), Po learns kung fu and meets the Five – Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Crane (David Cross), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Viper (Lucy Liu), and Mantis (Seth Rogen).

    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.

    2008's 'Kung Fu Panda.'
    2008’s ‘Kung Fu Panda.’
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  • How the DreamWorks Theatre At Universal Studios Hollywood Puts You Inside the Movie

    The next DreamWorks Animation feature doesn’t hit theaters until March 1, 2019. That’s when “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World,” the third film in the beloved franchise, is released; it’s also worth noting that it’s the first DWA movie since “Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie,” which came out way back in the summer of 2017.

    But if you need your DreamWorks Animation fix, there’s a brand-new attraction opening at Universal Studios Hollywood this summer that plunges you into one of your favorite animated adventures.

    As part of a continued effort to revitalize the theme park, which includes the popular (and very lucrative) Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the DreamWorks Theatre featuring “Kung Fu Panda: The Emperor’s Quest” is set to officially open next week. The past home to the Shrek 4-D attraction, this new state-of-the-art experience is something that is genuinely unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. And we got to experience it early, while taking a behind-the-scenes peek.

    If you’ve visited the park and been to Shrek 4-D, you’ll notice some, at least superficial, similarities to that previous attraction (which opened in May 2003 and closed last summer). But virtually everything else has changed.

    The show building will remind you of a classic Hollywood studio, and if you’ve ever visited or seen photos of the animation studio’s campus in Glendale, California, you’ll recognize that some things — including the Spanish-style architecture — have been borrowed, too.

    After watching a pre-show in which various DreamWorks characters bicker and argue about who will get to star in this brand new experience, one character triumphs: Po from “Kung Fu Panda.” From there, you enter the theater for what John Corfino, the Creative Director at Universal Studios, described to us as “a transformative and immersive experience.” (He also stressed how different the 241-seat theater was from the previous attraction, explaining that the new theater has “a different geometry.”)

    The actual ride film follows Po and some of his friends as they track down a mystical artifact that has been stolen. Corfino was cagey about what celebrity voice talent would be returning, although we can confirm no talent returned, so don’t expect to hear Jack Black during the attraction. As you watch the ride film unfold, the action expands, outwardly, until the entire theater is a part of the action. The attraction isn’t 3D, but the seats do have motion and you will feel the wind in your hair and get sprayed with water (of course); Corfino said that in many ways the seats furthest most back are the very best, since you can survey everything that is happening, all around you.

    But what magic allows, say, Po to climb out of the screen and into another part of the theater? Two words: projection mapping.

    Now, the basic technology behind projection mapping has been around for a while, and in recent years has become a favorite for theme park projects, where its been utilized for everything from nighttime spectaculars to more articulate faces for audio-animatronic figures. But this is the first time it’s been used like this in a theater setting. Corfino said that there was a lot of trial and error, with testing to figure out what shape the theater could be for the effect to work. 3D was considered for the attraction but they wanted people to look around the theater more organically. “Embrace the peripheral potential” is the phrase he used.

    And while we didn’t see the finished product (it was still being tested); the experience of watching the ride film unfold (and we mean that literally) is incredibly thrilling. It’s one thing to just be seated in front of a screen, it’s another thing to watch the characters and action spill out into the physical environment around you. Quite frankly, it really does make you feel like you’re inside a DreamWorks Animation movie, with all of the zany humor, sight gags, and subtle nods that you’d expect.

    When the attraction opens next week, visitors to Universal Hollywood are going to get a truly animated experience.

  • Box Office: Why ‘Finest Hours’ and ‘Jane Got a Gun’ Fell Way Short This Weekend

    The math doesn’t add up.

    This has been a surprisingly strong January at the box office, with Hollywood raking in more than $1 billion during a month that’s traditionally a big post-holiday let-down at the multiplex. This weekend’s take was 20 percent above last weekend’s. So why do this weekend’s four new releases seem like such box office disappointments?

    Well, okay, two of them — “Fifty Shades of Black” and “Jane Got a Gun,” really are disappointments. The other two — “Kung Fu Panda 3” and “The Finest Hours,” may just be the victims of overinflated expectations. We have to keep remembering: this is still January, box office no-man’s-land. Expecting too much of certain movies because other similar movies did okay at this time of year is foolish.
    Really, the makers of “Panda 3” should be pretty happy with the movie’s estimated $41.0 million take, even though that opening is on the lower-end of expectations. After all, it is a third installment and it comes nearly five years after the last one (an eternity for the kid-movie audience). That it did as well as it did — debuting at No. 1, claiming the third-biggest January opening ever — is a tribute to the strength of the franchise, the film’s positive reviews, and the weakness of the competition. It’s still the lowest opening of the three “Kung Fu Panda” movies, but the first two opened in the summer, not in the dead of January.

    Similarly, hopes were overly high for “Finest Hours.” Despite the seemingly crowd-pleasing storyline and period setting of this “Perfect Storm”-esque true story of a harrowing Coast Guard rescue at sea, “Hours” came in fourth place with $10.3 million. That total is well below expectations, and doesn’t bode well for the film to recoup its estimated $70 million production budget.

    So why did “Finest” sink? While Chris Pine is the lead in this ensemble, he is not a box office draw outside of playing Captain Kirk. And the actors surrounding him also lack the star wattage to put butts in seats. The movie got only middling reviews, which hurts when you’re trying to attract an older audience. And the “Finest Hours” audience was definitely older, with Disney estimating that 82 percent of the viewers were over 25. It’s pretty hard to generate a blockbuster without having some youth appeal.
    Imitating the successes of Januaries past was also a problem for Marlon Wayans, whose horror spoof “A Haunted House” was a hit three years ago at this time. Still, despite predictions in the $10-11 million range, he couldn’t duplicate that success with his latest spoof, “Fifty Shades of Black,” which opened in ninth place with an estimated $6.2 million. It didn’t help that Wayans was competing for the same audiences who are seeing holdovers “Ride Along 2” and “Dirty Grandpa.” But what hurt the movie the most was probably its terrible reviews and weak word-of-mouth, as measured by a C grade at CinemaScore.

    The saddest entry of the weekend is “Jane Got a Gun,” the Natalie Portman western with a notoriously troubled production history. Portman, who co-produced and stars in the film, shepherded it through three years of cast and director changes, a distributor bankruptcy, and multiple release date delays. Still, no one thought the film would open higher than seven figures. But it didn’t even reach that bar.

    Despite opening on 1,210 screens, “Jane” debuted at No. 17 with just an estimated $803,000. Not that average moviegoers cared about or even knew about the movie’s unfortunate backstory. But distributor The Weinstein Company, which attached trailers for “Jane” to “The Hateful Eight,” should have known better than to release Portman’s western so soon after Tarantino’s, not to mention putting it up against the period Frontier piece “The Revenant.” (Which, in its sixth weekend, still pulled in an estimated $12.4 million, good for second place.)
    Plus, “Jane” is competing not just with other horse operas, but also with all the Oscar-nominated movies that are dominating the art-houses because — all together now — it’s January. And those movies are doing reasonably well. In fact, none of the holdovers in the top 15 slots on the chart lost more than 39 percent of last week’s business. The fact that there wasn’t a huge East Coast blizzard or NFL playoffs this weekend certainly helped, but still, such strong legs are a sign of good health for the box office overall.

    On the whole, domestic sales this January are 3 percent ahead of where they were at this time last year. We didn’t have an “American Sniper” this January, but we did have “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” which more than made up for it. So, on balance, the month looks better than this weekend’s new releases would suggest. Still, Hollywood will surely be happy to see January end and will cross its fingers for February’s groundhogs to predict an early spring.
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  • The 12 Best Animated Movie Sequels Ever Made

    %Slideshow-360726%You know what’s weird about sequels to animated features? There aren’t that many of them.

    Maybe that’s because kids are happy enough to watch “Frozen” for the 487th time that they don’t really need a sequel. Nonetheless, we’ll be getting a whole bunch of them this year, including “Finding Dory” and this week’s “Kung Fu Panda 3” (opening Jan. 29).

    And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Some animated sequels have actually been very good, amplifying the original story and finding new depth in the characters, in ways fans might not have imagined. Here are 12 of the best Toons Part II (and beyond).

  • Po Must Train an Army in New ‘Kung Fu Panda 3’ Trailer

    Kung Fu Panda 3An evil villain is threatening the world? No problem — just call up an army of pandas!

    The new “Kung Fu Panda 3” trailer is here, and it lays out more of the storyline for the latest in the blockbuster animated franchise. Po (Jack Black) is still Po — happy-go-lucky, with a big appetite — but he discovers a new side of himself when he is reunited with his father (Bryan Cranston) and journeys to a panda paradise.
    “You must rediscover what it is to be a panda,” Po’s father says. Apparently, that includes an arranged marriage with Mei Mei (Kate Hudson)!

    But their lazy days spent chewing bamboo are interrupted by the appearance of a supernatural villain, and Po is called upon to train his fellow pandas in the art of kung fu. The fate of the world rests on his black and white shoulders.

    “Kung Fu Panda 3” opens in theaters January 29.

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  • Po Meets His Dad in ‘Kung Fu Panda 3’ Trailer

    Kung Fu Panda 3Po knows kung fu, but he doesn’t know his dad.

    But that all changes in “Kung Fu Panda 3,” which just dropped its first trailer today. In the DreamWorks Animation sequel, Po (Jack Black) continues his training with friends Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Mantis (Seth Rogen), and Viper (Lucy Liu). But he faces a very different sort of challenge — meeting his long-lost father (Bryan Cranston).

    Reunited, father and son travel to a secret panda paradise, where Po discovers he doesn’t really belong. There, he meets Mei Mei (Rebel Wilson), an overly eager female panda who’s been promised to him in an arrange marriage.

    The trailer looks much the same as the previous two “Kung Fu Panda” movies — cute, gently funny, a little shticky. We’re sure the kids will love it.

    “Kung Fu Panda 3” opens in theaters on Jan. 29, 2016.

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