Kung Fu Panda

Kung Fu Panda is an American martial arts comedy media franchise that began in 2008 with the animated film Kung Fu Panda (film) by DreamWorks Animation. The story follows Po Ping Po Ping, a giant panda voiced by Jack Black and later Mick Wingert. Po becomes the Dragon Warrior and learns kung fu. Even though he doubts himself at first, Po shows he is worthy and accepts his role.

The franchise includes four animated films: Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011), Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016), and Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024). There are also three television series: Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness, The Paws of Destiny, and The Dragon Knight. These stories happen in a fantasy version of ancient China with anthropomorphic animals.

The films and series have won many awards and are loved by people all over the world. The franchise has made a lot of money and is very popular. It is also celebrated in China for its creative style based on the wuxia film genre.

Films

Kung Fu Panda (2008)

Po is a panda who loves kung fu but feels unsure of his skills. He is chosen to be the Dragon Warrior. With help from his friends, Po learns to believe in himself and protects his home from a dangerous enemy.

Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)

Po faces new challenges as he learns about his past. He must stop a powerful villain who wants to destroy kung fu. With support from his friends and family, Po finds strength within himself to overcome obstacles.

Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016)

Po must face a new enemy who steals the powers of kung fu masters. With the help of his fathers and friends, Po learns special skills to protect everyone and defeat the villain.

Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)

Po helps find a new Dragon Warrior while facing a clever shape-shifting villain. With the aid of a reformed thief named Zhen, Po works to stop the villain and restore peace, eventually choosing Zhen as his successor.

Potential fifth film

In May 2024, following the success of Kung Fu Panda 4, it was suggested that a fifth film could happen, but it would likely not be until at least 2027 due to the lengthy production process.

Television series

Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness (2011–2014; 2016)

Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness is an animated TV show based on the Kung Fu Panda movies. It happens between the first two films and shows more adventures of Po. The show began on Nickelodeon in 2011 and had three seasons, ending in 2016.

Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny (2018–2019)

Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny is the second TV series in the franchise. It aired on Amazon Prime Video from 2018 to 2019. This series follows Po as he helps four young pandas who find they have special powers. Together, they try to keep the world safe from evil.

Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight (2022–2023)

Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight is the third TV series, starting in 2022 on Netflix. In this series, Po works with a brave knight named the Wandering Blade to find justice around the world. Jack Black returns to voice Po, and Rita Ora joins as Wandering Blade.

Short films

Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Furious Five (2008)

Main article: Secrets of the Furious Five

Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Furious Five is an animated short film. It tells the stories of Po’s friends, the Furious Five. The film mixes computer and 2D animation.

Kung Fu Panda Holiday (2010)

Kung Fu Panda Holiday is a television special. Po hosts a big feast, but he would rather spend the holiday with his dad.

Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Masters (2011)

Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Masters looks at the past of three kung fu masters: Thundering Rhino, Storming Ox, and Croc.

Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Scroll (2016)

Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Scroll shows how the Furious Five first met. It also shows their first big battle.

Panda Paws (2016)

Panda Paws features the character Mei Mei. She competes with Bao during the Spring Festival.

Dueling Dumplings (2024)

Dueling Dumplings follows Po and Zhen. They playfully argue about whose dumplings are better. In the end, they try and enjoy each other’s dumplings.

Cast and characters

Main article: List of Kung Fu Panda characters

This section lists the characters from the Kung Fu Panda movies. You will see which movies they appear in, with notes for special appearances (^C) or younger versions of characters (^Y). Some movies might not include certain characters, which is why you will see empty grey boxes.

Additional crew

The Kung Fu Panda movies have a great team behind them. DreamWorks Animation, famous for its cartoons, made these films. The movies mix funny moments, action, and feelings that touch your heart. They are fun for people of all ages. Many artists, writers, and voice actors helped make this story about a panda learning to be a kung fu master.

Reception

The Kung Fu Panda film series has been very popular. It has made a lot of money, over $2.3 billion in total. It is one of the top animated series and is DreamWorks Animation's second most popular series after Shrek.

People who watch the movies usually enjoy them. Critics have praised the animation, the voices of the actors, and how the characters develop and change in the stories.

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Video games

Several video games are based on the Kung Fu Panda films. The first game, Kung Fu Panda, came out in 2008 for many systems like Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, and Nintendo DS. Later games include Kung Fu Panda: Legendary Warriors, Kung Fu Panda 2, and Kung Fu Panda: Showdown of Legendary Legends. These games let you play new adventures with Po and his friends.

Po, Tigress, and Tai Lung can be played in Brawlhalla since 2021. In 2022, skins from Kung Fu Panda were added to Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. Most recently, Po, Tigress, Shifu, and Oogway joined as racers in DreamWorks All-Star Kart Racing, which came out in 2023 for many platforms.

Arena show

Directed by entertainment director Franco Dragone, Kung Fu Panda: Arena Spectacular is a live show. It features characters from the Kung Fu Panda films. The show mixes circus acts, Chinese acrobatics, and special effects. It was planned to open when Kung Fu Panda 2 came out. But after some casting tours and auditions, the show was delayed. No new updates have been shared since.

Attractions

A themed area called Po's Kung Fu Garden opened in 2012 at the DreamWorks Experience in Dreamworld. It started with a small photo spot with Po and later added more rides and fun things to do. In 2023, this area moved to Ocean Parade and was renamed Kenny and Belinda's Dreamland.

A multi-sensory Kung Fu Panda attraction opened at the DreamWorks Theatre on June 15, 2018, at Universal Studios Hollywood. A children’s play area inspired by Kung Fu Panda opened at DreamWorks Water Park on October 1, 2020. Universal Studios Beijing also has a Kung Fu Panda themed area called Kung Fu Panda Land of Awesomeness, which opened in September 2021. Universal Studios Florida’s DreamWorks Land will have a play area named “Po’s Kung Fu Training Camp” and a digital meet-and-greet called “Po Live!”