Today during DreamWorks Animation’s CinemaCon presentation in Vegas, studio president Margie Cohn announced that Mike Mitchell (The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, Trolls, Shrek Forever) is directing Kung Fu Panda 4. The movie is slated to be released on March 8, 2024. Mitchell also served as executive producer of Kung Fu Panda 3, and was a story consultant on the first installment.
Stephanie Ma Stine was also confirmed as co-director. Most recently, Stine was a story artist on Raya and the Last Dragon and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. She also directed a handful of episodes of the critically acclaimed television series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power from DreamWorks Animation Television.
Rebecca Huntley (The Bad Guys, Abominable) is producing the fourth installment in the multi-billion dollar franchise. She joined DreamWorks in 2009, working with the crew of How to Train Your Dragon where she managed the animation department before becoming a productive executive for the studio. She worked on several films in that capacity including Turbo, The Croods and Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, before returning to the Dragon franchise as the Production Manager on How to Train Your Dragon 2.
Actor Jack Black, who has voiced Po in the Kung Fu Panda series was on hand during the Universal Studios’ panel to describe the plot of the movie. In the fourth installment, Po will leave the Valley of Peace for the city, where he has to face The Chameleon, a villain who can summon enemies from Po’s past. In addition to dealing with The Chameleon, Po also has to look for a replacement as he realizes that he cannot be the Dragon Warrior forever.
DreamWorks also shared new footage from its two 2023 movies Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken (June 30 release date) and Trolls Band Together (Nov. 17 release date) Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake were on hand to introduce the new Trolls Band Together footage.
Before screening new footage from Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken, Cohn told the audience, “DreamWorks believes in making movies for theaters. We value the collective viewing experience. DreamWorks believes in expanding exciting franchises and also introducing new originals. Everyone loves a franchise, but each generation wants to be an original to be its own.”
Sources: DreamWorks Animation; The Hollywood Reporter
