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Kung Fu Panda 4 is a 2024 American animated martial arts comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Universal Pictures. It is the fourth installment in the Kung Fu Panda franchise and the sequel to Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016). The film was directed by Mike Mitchell, co-directed by Stephanie Ma Stine in her feature directorial debut, written by Darren Lemke and the writing team of Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, and produced by Rebecca Huntley. It features Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, James Hong, Bryan Cranston, and Ian McShane reprising their roles from the previous films, with Awkwafina, Ke Huy Quan, Ronny Chieng, Lori Tan Chinn, and Viola Davis joining the cast. In the film, Po (Black), who must find and train his successor as the new Dragon Warrior, teams up with fox bandit Zhen (Awkwafina) to defeat the evil sorceress, the Chameleon (Davis).
Directors Jennifer Yuh Nelson and Alessandro Carloni were asked about the possibility of a fourth Kung Fu Panda film prior to the release of the third film in January 2016, with Nelson later saying in August 2018 that she was open to a fourth installment. DreamWorks officially announced the fourth film in August 2022, with Mitchell, Ma Stine, and Huntley attached as director, co-director, and producer, respectively, by April 2023. Most of the main voice cast, along with the return of Aibel and Berger as writers and co-producers, was announced in December 2023, following Awkwafina's casting in May of that year. Lemke joined the project in February 2024 to revise and expand the screenplay. Composer Hans Zimmer, who had scored for the previous three installments, the first two with John Powell and the third alone, returned as composer alongside frequent collaborator Steve Mazzaro. Some additional production assets were borrowed from Jellyfish Pictures.
Kung Fu Panda 4 premiered at the AMC 14 Theater at The Grove in Los Angeles on March 3, 2024, and was theatrically released in the United States on March 8. The film received mostly positive reviews from critics, who praised the voice performances, animation, characters, and action sequences, although criticism was directed towards the story.
Plot[edit]
Po is helping his fathers, Mr. Ping and Li, open their new restaurant when Master Shifu tells him that he must advance to become the spiritual leader of the Valley of Peace, meaning that he will not be the Dragon Warrior anymore and must find a suitable candidate to be his successor. While Po struggles to choose candidates, he catches a thief named Zhen trying to steal ancient weapons and sends her to prison, but learns from some goats that Tai Lung has returned. He soon learns from Zhen that Tai Lung’s return was masqueraded by the Chameleon, a powerful sorceress that can shape-shift into any animal she wants. While initially reluctant to let Zhen help him, but wanting to go on one last adventure as Dragon Warrior, Po heads to Juniper City with Zhen as Mr. Ping and Li, terrified of what might happen to their son, trail behind them.
At Juniper City, they are arrested, but escape to the Den of Thieves. There, Zhen reunites with Han, who allows them to stay in the Den but wants them gone the next day. Soon, Po and Zhen head to the Chameleon's lair to take her down. However, it is revealed that the Chameleon took Zhen in as her apprentice when she was a child and she has been working for her ever since, betraying Po's trust as she gives Po's staff, which has the power to bridge the gap through the Spirit Realm, to enact her plan. He manages to escape, but when he asks Zhen to return his staff, she is revealed to be the Chameleon in disguise, who sends him off a cliff. Using the staff, the Chameleon creates a spiritual doorway to summon every martial arts master to steal their kung fu, including Tai Lung, Lord Shen, and Kai. Zhen, realizing the mistake she has made, decides to leave the Chameleon for good.
Meanwhile, Po talks to his fathers and tells them that he is afraid of change. Mr. Ping tells him that like him, he was initially afraid of change, but he would not be a father if things did not change, and encourages Po to stop the Chameleon. Po reunites with Zhen, who tries to stop him, leading to a duel between them. Realizing that she cannot change his mind, she bids him farewell before Po goes to face the Chameleon.
Zhen manages to convince the Den of Thieves to help her rescue Po. Meanwhile, Tai Lung learns that Po has lost the Staff of Wisdom, causing him to lose more faith in him. Po tries to fight The Chameleon to get his staff back, but gets overwhelmed and before she can deliver the final blow, Zhen intervenes. The Chameleon transforms into a hybrid of several creatures and the three of them fight. Zhen falls into the rubble, while the Chameleon turns into Po to fight him and traps him in a cage.
Putting his trust in Zhen, he gives her the Staff of Wisdom, with which she summons a majestic dragon, sending the Chameleon crashing into the wall. Not accepting defeat easily, the Chameleon attempts to kill Po again, but Po uses the staff to defeat her and is able to return all of the stolen kung fu back to their owners. Realizing that he was wrong about Po, Tai Lung gives his respect and acknowledges him as the Dragon Warrior. Po opens a spiritual doorway and sends all the masters back to the Spirit Realm, with Tai Lung taking the Chameleon with him.
Back at the Valley of Peace, Zhen is ready to return to prison, but Po decides to choose her as his successor, much to Shifu's annoyance. Confident of his choice, Po and the Furious Five help train her to become the next Dragon Warrior.