Kung Fu Panda 5 (GummyLover302)

Kung Fu Panda 5 is an upcoming 2029 animated martial arts comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Universal Pictures. It is the fifth installment in the Kung Fu Panda franchise and the sequel to Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024). The film was directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson, who also directed the first three Kung Fu Panda movies, written by the writing team Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, and produced by Melissa Cobb. 
Jack Black, Awkwafina, Dustin Hoffman, James Hong, Bryan Cranston, Viola Davis, and Ian McShane reprise their roles from the previous film, while Angelina Jolie, Seth Rogen, David Cross, Lucy Liu, Jackie Chan, Gary Oldman, J.K. Simmons, and Randall Duk Kim reprising their roles from the previous films. Con O'Neill, Todd Haberkorn, Keanu Reeves, and Jack Nicholson joined the cast to voice new characters. In the film, Po is enjoying the Spiritual Leader role while Zhen succeeds him as the Dragon Warrior, but both (with the Furious Five) are called to the capital city to defeat the evil demigod King Heian after he usurped the emperor's throne.
The film will be released on February 10, 2029.
== Synopsis ==
Three years after defeating the Chameleon, Po is admiring being the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace, and constantly trains Zhen as his successor as the Dragon Warrior with the Furious Five nearby to help. This proves difficult, considering Zhen is slowly getting interested in the martial art and the emperor wanted to see the new Dragon Warrior. To make matters worse, an evil four-headed demigod, King Heian, has retaken the Chinese throne in the capital city, prompting the heroes to take back what was everyone's with the aid of two spirit warriors they know, Thundering Rhino and surprisingly, Tai Lung.
== Cast ==
* Jack Black as Po, a giant panda and previously Dragon Warrior now Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace. 
* Awkwafina as Zhen, a corsac fox who was a thief until becoming Po's successor as the Dragon Warrior. 
* Con O'Neill as King Heian, a four-headed demigod with soul, blood, and dark powers who seeks to rule China centuries after he was banished. 
* Dustin Hoffman as Master Shifu, an elder red panda who is master of Po and the Furious Five. 
* Angelina Jolie as Master Tigress, a South China Tiger and leader of the Furious Five. 
* Keanu Reeves as Master Phoenix, a red phoenix who banished King Heian centuries ago. 
* Victor Garber as Master Thundering Rhino, an Indian rhinoceros spirit warrior. 
* Ian McShane as Tai Lung, a snow leopard and Shifu's disciple until his banishment to the Spirit Realm. 
* David Cross as Master Crane, a red-crowned crane. 
* Seth Rogen as Master Mantis, a Chinese mantis. 
* Jackie Chan as Master Monkey, a golden snub-nosed monkey. 
* Lucy Liu as Master Viper, a green tree-viper. 
* Jack Nicholson as Zhongwei, a Pallas's Cat who serves as second-in-command to King Heian.
* Randall Duk Kim as Grand Master Oogway, a tortoise who once fought against King Heian in the past.
* Gary Oldman as Lord Shen, an albino peacock who became King Heian's blood ghoul after being absorbed. 
* J. K. Simmons as General Kai, a bull spirit warrior and Oogway's former friend who also became King Heian's blood ghoul.
* Viola Davis as The Chameleon, a shape-shifting chameleon who too became King Heian's blood ghoul.
* Todd Haberkorn as Zuo Zheng, a buffalo who acts as Heian's secret police chief.
* Danny McBride as Boss Wolf, a wolf who became Heian's blood ghoul
== Production ==
=== Development ===
On August 3rd, 2025, DreamWorks Animation came to notice the flaws fans were pointing out, especially with the low budget than the previous ones. When asked about a possible fifth film, then director Jennifer Yuh Nelson stated, "I would never want a single film to lose touch with the last three, but I hope to make one that still touches with the previous four movies." After Jack Black's recasting as Po, he replied that "film number 5" would go well, but it doesn't beat the fourth.
On October 5th, 2025, DreamWorks confirmed Kung Fu Panda 5 was in the works. On December 1st, Angelina Jolie went to CinemaCon to speak about the premise, interested in a demigod. Jennifer Yuh Nelson was announced to return to direct, with Melissa Cobb producing and partners Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger as the writers of the story and screenplay.
=== Writing ===
While the fourth film was being produced, Mitchell refused to give the Chameleon and Zhen a backstory until he was told by his team to do so. When Jonathan picked up on this, he and Glenn vowed not to make the same mistake. They figured that now that Po was a Spiritual Leader and Zhen was the Dragon Warrior, they showed the premise of them adventuring across China to the filmmakers. Since it was going to be the penultimate film until the sixth, they would add more of Ancient China's history before Po or the Furious Five existed. Additionally, since Po was the Spiritual Leader, they wanted to add lessons that would make him wiser, yet still naive and hilarious. 
The film's antagonist, King Heian, would be the first demigod in the Kung Fu Panda franchise. Said to be "scarier than the previous villains" according to Con O'Neill, the antagonist's voice actor. Jennifer believed King Heian to be a combination of Tai Lung, Lord Shen, General Kai, and the Chameleon combined, perhaps scarier.
=== Casting ===
Kung Fu Panda 5 saw Jennifer Yuh Nelson returning as a director, along with Melissa Cobb for producing, Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger as writers of the story and screenplay, and Guillermo del Toro as executive producer and co-director. Guillermo has stated Jennifer needed someone who knew magic, based on his previous projects like Pacific Rim and Pinocchio. 
On January 20th 2026, Jack Black, Awkwafina, Dustin Hoffman, James Hong, Bryan Cranston, Viola Davis, and Ian McShane are set to return from the previous film, while Angelina Jolie, Seth Rogen, David Cross, Lucy Liu, Jackie Chan, Gary Oldman, J.K. Simmons, and Randall Duk Kim are set to return from the previous first three films. However, on January 31st, DreamWorks Animation announced that Con O'Neill, Todd Haberkorn, Keanu Reeves, and Jack Nicholson joined the cast. 
Category:Kung Fu Panda
Category:Comedy films
Category:Adventure films
Category:2029 films
Category:Films
Category:English-language films
Category:Chinese-language films
Category:American sequel films
Category:Universal Pictures films
Category:Universal Pictures animated films
Category:DreamWorks Animation
Category:Fiction about magic
Category:Fiction about sacrifices
Category:Fiction about death
Category:Dark fantasy films
Category:CGI Animated Films
Category:Fantasy films
Category:Fantasy-Comedy
Category:Films directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Category:Dreamworks Films
Category:Film scores by Hans Zimmer
Category:Films starring Jack Black