As soon as Kung Fu Panda first found success in 2008, it was inevitable that we would be revisiting that particular team of heroes again and again. While its sequel was something of a lesser version, it was clearly profitable enough to warrant another go-around on the Dreamworks Animation merry-go-round, and so we now have a further trailer for Kung Fu Panda 3.
With a cast packed with familiar voices – including the star funnyman Jack Black – the film looks to be exactly as you would expect, but with more pandas.
“In 2016, one of the most successful animated franchises in the world returns with its biggest comedy adventure yet, Kung Fu Panda 3. When Po’s long-lost panda father suddenly reappears, the reunited duo travels to a secret panda paradise to meet scores of hilarious new panda characters. But when the supernatural villain Kai begins to sweep across China defeating all the kung fu masters, Po must do the impossible—learn to train a village full of his fun-loving, clumsy brethren to become the ultimate band of Kung Fu Pandas!”
Directed by franchise stalwarts Alessandro Carloni and Jennifer Yuh, and written by the also-returning Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, we can at least look forward to the kind of consistency that is sometimes lacking from these children’s studio endeavours, which should make the less-than-sophisticated humour slightly more palatable for their accompanying adults.
The wider voice cast is filled by Bryan Cranston, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, David Cross, Lucy Liu, Dustin Hoffman and JK Simmons, with additional roles taken by Kate Hudson, James Hong and Randall Duk Kim.
Kung Fu Panda 3 hits cinemas on January 29th, 2016.