Jack Black welcomes Viola Davis and Awkwafina to the Kung Fu Panda 4 cast ahead of tomorrow’s trailer

It’s almost time to light the fireworks and dust off your favorite noodle recipe because, for the first time in nearly a decade, the world’s most unlikely kung fu master will return for another martial arts animated adventure! That’s right, friends! I’m talking about Po! He’s back for Kung Fu Panda 4 and bringing new friends along for the wild ride! Comedy legend Jack Black welcomed new Kung Fu Panda 4 cast members today, including Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis and Golden Globe winner Awkwafina!

Here’s an official description for Kung Fu Panda 4 courtesy of Dreamworks:

After three death-defying adventures defeating world-class villains with his unmatched courage and mad martial arts skills, Po, the Dragon Warrior (Golden Globe nominee Jack Black), is called upon by destiny to … give it a rest already. More specifically, he’s tapped to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace.

That poses a couple of obvious problems. First, Po knows as much about spiritual leadership as he does about the paleo diet, and second, he needs to quickly find and train a new Dragon Warrior before he can assume his new lofty position. 

Even worse, there’s been a recent sighting of a wicked, powerful sorceress, Chameleon (Oscar winner Viola Davis), a tiny lizard who can shapeshift into any creature, large or small. And Chameleon has her greedy, beady little eyes on Po’s Staff of Wisdom, which would give her the power to re-summon all the master villains whom Po has vanquished to the spirit realm. 

So, Po’s going to need some help. He finds it (kinda?) in the form of crafty, quick-witted thief Zhen (Golden Globe winner Awkwafina), a corsac fox who really gets under Po’s fur but whose skills will prove invaluable. In their quest to protect the Valley of Peace from Chameleon’s reptilian claws, this comedic odd-couple duo will have to work together. In the process, Po will discover that heroes can be found in the most unexpected places.

The film features the voice talent of returning stars Academy Award winner Dustin Hoffman as Kung Fu master Shifu; James Hong (Everything Everywhere All at Once) as Po’s adoptive father, Mr. Ping; Academy Award nominee Bryan Cranston as Po’s birth father, Li, and Emmy Award nominee Ian McShane as Tai Lung, Shifu’s former student and arch-nemesis. Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once) joins the ensemble as a new character, Han, the leader of the Den of Thieves.

Wow! The new Kung Fu Panda 4 cast list is b-a-n-a-n-a-s! Cranston, McShane, and Quan, all under one roof? Dreamworks is pulling out all the stops for this highly-anticipated sequel! Mike Mitchell (Trolls, Shrek Forever After) directs Kung Fu Panda 4 from a script by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, with an expected release date of March 8, 2024.

Check back with us tomorrow when the first official Kung Fu Panda 4 trailer goes live! In the meantime, let us know if you’re excited for Po to return for another chapter of martial arts madness in the comments below!