Children have loved watching films where animals can talk, since Disney’s early days, and the release of Kung Fu Panda back in 2008 proved that nothing has changed; as it received resoundingly positive reviews from both kids and critics alike, and has now been granted a full sequel.
Subtitled The Kaboom of Doom, the sequel reunites the majority of the original cast, including Jack Black (The School of Rock) as Po; the titular Panda; Dustin Hoffman (Rain Man) as Master Shifu; the trainer; and Angelina Jolie (The Tourist), Jackie Chan (The Karate Kid, 2010), Seth Rogen (The Green Hornet), Lucy Liu (Kill Bill), and David Cross (Small Soldiers), as the Kung Fu elite, Furious Five.
Blade Runner’s James Hong will also be returning as a noodle restaurant owning goose, named father ping, and will be joined by several newcomers to the series; including James Woods (the Casino actor whose excellent voice work includes playing Hades in Diseny’s Hercules), Jean-Claude Van Damme (Universal Soldier: Regeneration), and Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight).
Like many other upcoming animations, The Kaboom of Doom will be released in 3D, and will have Po, his old friends, and his new allies, facing off against a powerful king called Lord Shen (Oldman) who is threatening to use a deadly new weapon to conquer China, and destroy Kung Fu forever, when it’s released next year.
The film’s first teaser trailer has recently been released (and can be seen below), and although it doesn’t feature anything from the new movie, does a good job of generating interest for the film, and getting children excited; by inviting them to take part in a staring competition; for the film that’s due to be released on May 26th in the U.S., and June 17th in the U.K.
