Jack Black’s Kung Fu Panda 4 Trailer Hides a Villain in Plain Sight
Jack Black’s hilarious Kung Fu Panda is one of the most beloved animated series of all time. It is the story of a giant panda who is prophesied to be the Dragon Warrior and becomes the master of kung fu with time and resilience. The first two Kung Fu Panda movies were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The second film was the biggest box-office success for a film directed solely by a woman up until Wonder Woman. Its popularity in China due to its interpretation of the Wuxia film genre is also a notable feat for the movie.
Needless to say, the movie franchise has been very successful and reigns in the hearts of the audiences rent-free. So, it is no wonder that it has spawned a fourth movie in the franchise. Recently, the Kung Fu Panda 4 trailer was released, and the trailer hides an old villain in plain sight.
Kung Fu Panda 4: one big villain who is hidden in the trailer
The much-anticipated trailer for Kung Fu Panda 4 has been released, and the fans can hardly contain their excitement. The trailer announces the return of many of the primary antagonists from other films in the franchise. This time Po is up against the worst of them all, the Chameleon, who is after every master villain’s power in the movie so he can take on the Dragon Warrior. So far, Tai Lung is seen coming back from what seems like the spirit realm. The Chameleon uses the Staff of Wisdom, which is a powerful tool associated with chi and the realm, and it explains the twist of how the Chameleon brought back the dead Tai Lung.
Also Read: Tai Lung Not the Only Villain Returning in Kung Fu Panda 4, Confirms Director
Also Read: Kung Fu Panda 4 Trailer: New Villain, New Allies, Whole New Era of Awesomeness
However, this might not be the only antagonist that makes a return in the movie. As said before, the Chameleon is after all the master villains out there. In the trailer, there is a scene where a shadow briefly appears over the Chameleon, and it is said to be the primary antagonist from Kung Fu Panda 2, Lord Shen, son of the Royal Peacock family. Lord Shen was dead and mostly appeared in the franchise through flashbacks or mentions after the second movie. However, if the Chameleon is after the power of all the great villains, resurrecting Lord Shen from the dead along with Tai Lung will not be too far-fetched.
The Furious Five will appear in Kung Fu Panda 4 among many other familiar characters
In a recent interview with Collider, Mike Mitchel, alongside Rebecca Huntley, the Kung Fu Panda 4 producer, discussed the possibility of the Furious Five appearing in the upcoming comedy film. Mitchell said for sure that the Furious Five would make an appearance. He also hinted at many familiar characters coming back in the fourth installment as well. Check out the whole discussion below:
MITCHELL: They make an appearance, I’ll tell you that much. But to be fair, Po is leaving the Valley of Peace and he’s going on a huge adventure to this giant city…
HUNTLEY: Where he will encounter many, many new characters.
Mike Mitchell added.
MITCHELL: Loads. And he has to work with this entire band of thieves to fight the villain. By the way, all the old characters are back – Mr Ping, Li, played by Bryan Cranston, Shifu, played by Dustin Hoffman, and then James Hong who plays Ping. Tons of characters. All the characters come back. Every single character that you remember comes back, and a few villains that I don’t want to spoil. But really, we wanted to introduce a whole slew of new characters which we did.
Also Read: Hollywood Legend Set to Return for Jack Black’s Kung Fu Panda 4
Although it is not clear what the role of the Furious Five will be, the audience will definitely enjoy and appreciate watching them on screen again.
Kung Fu Panda 4 will be released on March 8, 2024.
