Kung Fu Panda 3

[GeneChing]

I just saw Kung Fu Panda 2 and it's totally set up for the next sequel.

"The Expendables 2" and "Kung Fu Panda 3" Want Chuck Norris
Posted: May 25th, 2011 by WorstPreviews.com Staff
The Expendables 2 and Kung Fu Panda 3 Want Chuck NorrisSubmit Comment
Who would have thought that Sylvester Stallone's "The Expendables" would be competing with the animated "Kung Fu Panda" to get action stars to sign on for their films.

Stallone has already promised to get Jean Claude Van-Damme for the sequel, but Van-Damme is currently voicing a character in the upcoming "Kung Fu Panda" sequel.

Now, both "The Expendables 2" and the third "Kung Fu Panda" installment are hoping to get Chuck Norris for their films. "Bring Chuck Norris to 'Kung Fu Panda 3,'" said "Kung Fu Panda" writers Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger. "Chuck Norris as legendary unicorn. You have to do a mythical beast to get Chuck Norris. You can't just put him as a crane, or something. You need something with teeth, something big."

[Jimbo]

I think Chuck would be hilarious as a voice for an animated character. But I'd really like to see what they'd do with him in The Expendables.

[JamesC]

The unicorn part made me lol.

I bet it makes a lot more money due to the fact that everyone will be too afraid of Chuck not to see it...

[Zenshiite]

Chuck Norris a Qilin, yes. As a unicorn, as in a horse with a single horn, not so much.

[GeneChing]

I just assumed Jack Black was signed on for this already.

Jack Black Talks ‘Kung Fu Panda 3’: ‘I’d Love To’ Return
First Published: April 26, 2012 11:47 AM EDT

Credit: Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Jack Black attends the “Kung Fu Panda 2” photocall in Berlin, Germany on June 7, 2011Caption Is Jack Black gearing up to voice panda Po for a third time?

Access Hollywood caught up with the actor at CinemaCon 2012 in Las Vegas, where he dished on the possibility of an impending “Kung Fu Panda 3.”

“I think they’re writing it, writing hard as we speak,” Jack told Access. “I’d love to [return]. Yeah, it’s a blast.”

The 42-year-old star was on hand to support Jeffrey Katzenberg as he accepted CinemaCon’s Pioneer of the Year honor and praised the Dreamworks CEO, saying, “When you look at what he’s done over the last 20 years, it’s astonishing.

“You could legitimately call him the pioneer of the year, just for the last two decades,” he continued. “And I’m not just saying that because I want to be in ‘Kung Fu Panda 3’ — I’m saying that because it’s true!”

Jack, who will next be seen on the big screen in the musical satire “Frank or Francis” with Elizabeth Banks and Nicolas Cage (set to hit theaters in 2013), also weighed in on the “Fifty Shades of Grey” phenomenon, saying he doesn’t quite understand why it’s been dubbed “mommy porn.”

“Why is it mommy porn? The moms like it?” he told Access. “I’d think the moms would be ****ed. They’d be like, ‘Oh great — another old guy going out with a young lady!’ You know what I mean? The moms would be like, ‘Why can’t they go out with a real woman for once!’”

[GeneChing]

Obviously there will be a KFP3. Anyone who saw KFP2 knows that.

DreamWorks Animation Confirms 'Kung Fu Panda 3' & Development Of A 'Madagascar' Penguins Spin-Off
News by Edward Davis | July 12, 2012 6:02 PM

Considering the grosses after just two films ($1.3 billion), this shouldn't be a surprise. DreamWorks Animation is giving the go-ahead for a third "Kung Fu Panda" film which was likely a no-brainer as last year "Kung Fu Panda 2" more than confirmed audiences are in love with the franchise. Voiced by Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Dustin Hoffman, Seth Rogen and Lucy Liu, there's no word on who will direct the third installment, but so far there's been a different group of filmmakers for every film, with only producer Melissa Cobb and screenwriter Jonathan Aibel remaining as two of the major above-the-line creative forces.

"Right now we have 10 movies in production and eight or nine in pre-production or advanced form of script development," DWA chief Bill Damaschke told audiences at Comic-Con today. And one of the new ones? A "Madagascar" spin-off called "Penguins of Madagascar" set for a 2015 release that will be directed by Tom McGrath, the voice actor and animator who co-directed all three animated animal films with Eric Darnell. Those three films have a combined worldwide total of $1.5 billion so DWA clearly are no dummies and will keep that gravy train running as long as it can. Expect 'Penguins' to spawn its own trilogy unless it somehow falls flat with unpicky kids.

Other DreamWorks Animation pictures in the hamper are "Rise of the Guardians" (November 20, 2012), "The Croods" (March 22, 2013), "Turbo" (July 19, 2013), "Mr. Peabody & Sherman" (November 8, 2013), "How to Train Your Dragon 2" (June 20, 2014), "Happy Smekday!" (due late 2014) and a fantasy comedy called "Me and My Shadow," voiced by Bill Hader and "Book of Mormon" actor Josh Gad that has been set for a March 14, 2014 release.

[GeneChing]

Maybe this thread should be retitled Oriental DreamWorks.

DreamWorks, Shanghai partners unveil collaborative blueprint
English.news.cn 2012-08-07 17:15:29

SHANGHAI, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. film giant DreamWorks Animation (DWA) and its Chinese partners said on Tuesday that they plan to co-produce upcoming film "Kung Fu Panda 3," as well as build an "entertainment destination" in Shanghai.

The news was announced at a signing ceremony held in the city to launch a landmark Sino-U.S. cultural project titled "Oriental DreamWorks."

The two parties confirmed that the long-anticipated third installment of the blockbuster "Kung Fu Panda" franchise is slated to be released in 2016 by DWA and Oriental DreamWorks (ODW), a studio established by DWA in partnership with a trio of Shanghai-based companies.

DWA and three Shanghai-based state-owned groups -- China Media Capital (CMC), the Shanghai Media Group and Shanghai Alliance Investment Limited -- signed a deal in February to form a joint venture focusing on animation production, with the Chinese companies acting as controlling partners.

The first two "Kung Fu Panda" films enjoyed great success in the Chinese market, with the second film taking in 470 million yuan (74.6 million U.S. dollars) at the box office.

ODW is expected to produce its first original animated film in 2017. Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO of DWA, said previously that there are seven different proposals being considered for the film.

Until then, ODW will work to release one to three films a year to keep up with the pace of other international animation companies.

In addition, the two parties signed an agreement Tuesday to establish the "Dream Center" entertainment zone in the West Bank Media Port, which is located in Shanghai's Xuhui district.

The zone, to be built with a total investment of more than 20 billion yuan, will be made up of theaters, restaurants and bars, said Li Ruigang, CMC's chairman.

The West Bank Media Port, with the "Dream Center" as its flagship attraction, is expected to see 20 million visitors a year, according to data provided by the district government of Xuhui.

Li said the two sides will strive to develop Shanghai into an international culture center.

"In the long term, we may bring more entertainment zones to other domestic cities or even build them abroad," he added.

Katzenberg was said to have "intense interest" in the entertainment zone project, a first for the California-based company.

WIN-WIN PARTNERSHIP

The collaboration between DWA and its Shanghai partners, inked during Vice President Xi Jinping's visit to the U.S. in February, is expected to create new opportunities for both sides.

For Chinese domestic animators, who have suffered from an extended recession, DWA's entry into China will bring a chance to learn from the company's experience.

"The cultural industry should always target a global market. We're trying to adapt to global competition at our doorstep," said Xiang Yong, deputy director of the cultural industry research institute at Peking University.

The Chinese animation industry saw its heyday in the 1960s, when the film "Uproar in Heaven" was screened at renowned international film festivals. But now, the industry is struggling with a lack of both original ideas and professionals.

Some local animation firms said they are longing to learn from DWA's assets, such as its storytelling expertise and its world-leading 3D technology.

During his visit to Shanghai in March, Katzenberg said the Shanghai studio will focus on stories that "have a connection to the culture, history and literature of China." He also promised to bring the 3D technology that DWA has developed during the past five years to Shanghai.

The studio is also expected to give the U.S. animation tycoon a foothold in the promising Chinese market.

China has become one of the biggest film consumers in the world, with film industry revenues surging at an annual rate of 30 percent, said Zhang Pimin, deputy director of the National Bureau of Radio and Television Industry.

China is also expected to become the second country in the world to have over 10,000 movie screens by the end of 2012, following the U.S.

Some have said that the announcement of the "Oriental DreamWorks" deal has put DWA in a fierce race with its domestic rival Walt Disney, which began to build a theme park in Shanghai last April.

Nevertheless, Katzenberg and Li both claimed on Tuesday that the "Dream Center" project will not be a threat to the Shanghai Disneyland.

"The 'Dream Center' is not a theme park. It's different from any other large cultural project in China, including Disneyland," Li said.

In April, Walt Disney joined hands with Chinese IT giant Tencent and state-owned animation company China ACG Group Co., Ltd. to launch a research and development project aimed at nurturing the homegrown animation industry and training professional animators.

In addition, the U.S. film tycoon has made the upcoming "Iron Man 3" a joint production with DMG Entertainment in Beijing.

"The co-production of the film shows the importance of Chinese audiences to Disney," said Zhang Zhizhong, the company's executive vice president.

‘Kung Fu Panda’ Studio Eyes $3.1 Billion Shanghai Complex
By Bloomberg News on August 07, 2012

Oriental DreamWorks, a Chinese venture by DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. (DWA), will invest more than 20 billion yuan ($3.1 billion) building an entertainment center in Shanghai to rival New York’s Broadway and London’s West End.

The Dream Center, which will include theaters, shops, restaurants and hotels, is scheduled to open in 2016, Oriental DreamWorks said in a statement today. The company also said it will co-produce “Kung Fu Panda 3” in China and plans to release the animated film in 2016.

The investment will give Glendale, California-based DreamWorks Animation a footprint in one of the world’s fastest- growing movie markets. Ticket sales in China rose 35 percent last year to $2 billion, according to the Motion Picture Association of America, making China the third largest movie market behind the U.S. and Japan.

“We have formed what we think is a very valuable strategic partnership to make world class feature animation,” Jeffrey Katzenberg, chief executive officer of DreamWorks Animation, said at a press conference in Shanghai today. “We’re very confident that the creative talent exists here in China. We’re very enthusiastic about building a studio.”

The animation studio will hire 800 people over the next four years, Katzenberg said, and add more employees eventually. He also said it has seven scripts in development, one of which will be the company’s first original production out of China.

‘Panda’ Sequel

“Kung Fu Panda 3” will be a sequel to the 2011 and 2008 films, which generated more than $600 million each in worldwide ticket sales, according to Box Office Mojo, an industry tracker. Oriental DreamWorks plans to release one to three films a year following its first solely created feature production in 2017, it said in today’s statement.

DreamWorks Animation owns about 45 percent of Oriental DreamWorks, with the rest held by China Media Capital, Shanghai Media Group and Shanghai Alliance Investment Ltd. The companies are seeking partners to fund the investment in the Dream Center in Shanghai, said Li Ruigang, Chairman of China Media Capital.

Li, 43, will head Oriental DreamWorks as the chief executive officer, Katzenberg said during the media conference. Li is also a board member of Dublin-based WPP Plc. (WPP), the world’s largest advertising company by market value.

The entertainment complex will feature a “Dream Walk,” the world’s largest Imax screen, which can be used for film premieres and other events, according to the statement. It will be located in the district of Xuhui along the Huangpu River that winds through Shanghai.

`Incredible Metropolis'

“It’s an incredible metropolis here with many beautiful aspects to it but it doesn’t have that sort of cultural, entertainment center to it, and that’s what sort of got us started on this idea,” Katzenberg said. The Dream Center will be a “celebration of great theater, great art, great culture, great music, all in one place” and will target 18 to 34 year olds, he said.

Ben Wood, who designed Shanghai’s Xintiandi, an urban dining, shopping and entertainment district in the downtown area, will be among the designers for The Dream Center, Katzenberg said.

The project will be “complementary” to the Shanghai theme park being developed by Walt Disney Co. (DIS), Katzenberg said.
Disney Theme Park

Disney and its state-owned China partner Shanghai Shendi Group Co. announced in 2011 it will invest about $4.4 billion building the resort, which will open in about five years. The company also said in April it will co-produce “Iron Man 3” in China with Beijing Film Studio DMG Entertainment.

DreamWorks Animation shares slipped 0.7 percent to $17.83 in New York yesterday, paring its gain this year to 7.4 percent. Disney retreated 0.2 percent to $49.65, having rallied 32 percent in 2012.

Entertainment companies are seeking tie-ups with Chinese filmmakers in a bid to circumvent the country’s annual quota on the number of foreign-made films that can be shown in theaters. China allows 34 foreign films to be screened in China each year, with 14 to be shown in 3D or large format. Movies that are co- produced with Chinese partners can skirt the quotas.

To contact the reporter on this story: Alexandra Ho in Shanghai at aho113@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Shiyin Chen at schen37@bloomberg.net

[GeneChing]

It's all about face. And who can resist a cuddly panda face?

"Kung Fu Panda 3" continues as tribute to Chinese culture: director
English.news.cn 2013-06-07 00:14:34
By Xinhua writers Du Jie and Tong Fang

CHENGDU, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The "Kung Fu Panda" franchise will continue to be a tribute to Chinese culture with the creation of its third installment, Jennifer Yuh Nelson, director of Kung Fu Panda 2, said at the ongoing 2013 Global Fortune Forum being held in southwest China's city of Chengdu.

"Chinese audiences will have a film that is set in China and a tribute to China. We certainly want to continue to do that. I'm hoping this will create a full circle in that it could actually come back to China, be made in China and also seen in China," she said,

"Kung Fu Panda 2," released in 2011, brought in worldwide box office earnings of over 660 million U.S. dollars. Nelson is set to direct "Kung Fu Panda 3," which is scheduled to debut in 2015.

The film will be made in China as a co-production between DreamWorks Animation and Oriental DreamWorks, a Shanghai-based entertainment company that opened its doors in February.

The two partners said previously that they will make up to three motion pictures per year. They will also invest over 20 billion yuan (3.1 billion U.S. dollars) to build an animation studio and an entertainment complex in Shanghai that will include theaters, restaurants and tourist attractions.

Nelson said the third "Kung Fu Panda" film is still in early development.

"There's a huge talent base here in China. We're trying to get everybody involved and making movies like this," Nelson said.

"This is being made by people who love the history of China; these are people who love the appearance and the beauty of the culture of China. We want to show it to the world," she said.

The 2013 Fortune Global Forum will run from June 6 to 8.

[GeneChing]

This has become such a tentpole coop for China and Hollywood.

'Kung Fu Panda 3' to Begin Production in August
The Hollywood ReporterBy Clarence Tsui | The Hollywood Reporter – Mon, Jun 17, 2013 1:00 AM EDT

SHANGHAI – With DreamWorks Animations having moved up Kung Fu Panda 3's release date from 2016 to late 2015, one of Jeffrey Katzenberg’s Shanghai-based partners has confirmed that production on the film is slated to commence in August.

The latest revelation comes from Peter Li, managing director of China Media Capital (CMC) and a board member of one of the film’s co-producers, Oriental DreamWorks, and follows the April announcement that the film’s release date would be moved to Dec. 23, 2015.

Speaking at a Shanghai International Film Festival Forum panel Monday, Li said Oriental DreamWorks – the Shanghai-based company owned by DreamWorks Animations, CMC, Shanghai Media Group and Shanghai Alliance – will handle one-third of the production work on the project, with the remainder to be done in the U.S.

Kung Fu Panda 3 will attain official co-production status in China, a designation that will see the film circumventing the country’s strict import quota and its production companies securing a higher percentage of box-office revenue.

Li was speaking at a panel titled “Chinese Capital’s Long March to Hollywood," in which Chinese media, film and financial executives spoke about their experiences working with their U.S peers – or, in the case of Wanda Group and Beijing Galloping Horse, even injecting money into the acquisition of Hollywood assets.

According to Wang Ran, CEO of the China eCapital investment bank, a Chinese takeover of a second-tier Hollywood film production company within the next two or three years is “possible" due to the the rapid expansion of revenue generated in China’s film market, the volume of which has been predicted to surpass that in the U.S. by decade’s end.

Sid Ganis, the former president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences who is now working in China to consolidate the online film distribution portal Jiaflix Enterprises, agreed but also qualified his views by stressing potential pitfalls in such acquisitions.

“Of course there will be Chinese investment in American studios, but a much more important issue to address is the cultural issue. … It should be about integration and not conquering Hollywood,” he said.

Reflecting on his time at Columbia Pictures when it was taken over by Sony for $3.4 billion in September 1989, Ganis said the initial fears of the studio’s creativity being compromised “did not materialize” and that the acquisition was the “right thing” to do on the Japanese company’s part.

“Only once did I experience the intrusions of the parent company in what I was doing: it was when we wanted to make a comedy about sumo wrestlers,” he said. “This super Sony executive said, very nicely, ‘Please don’t do that and make fun of our cultural icon.' ”

Meanwhile, executives who have bought U.S. assets in the past year said their primary aim was to gain foreign expertise in order to improve China’s film industry. Wanda Cultural Group vice president Ye Ning said his company’s acquisition of AMC was driven by an admiration of the cinema chain’s management ethos, while Beijing Galloping Horse vice chairman Ivy Zhong said the joint purchase (with India’s Reliance Mediaworks) of visual-effects house Digital Domain was done to increase the overall production quality of her company’s output.

China Media Capital’s Li said the collaboration with DreamWorks in establishing Oriental DreamWorks is also because of a need to “introduce creative process and production conventions into China." “There’s still a big gap between China and Hollywood,” he said.

[GeneChing]

Kung Fu Panda 3 Release Date A Sure Box Office Hit; ‘Pitch Perfect 2’ Star Rebel Wilson Cast As Jack Black’s Love Interest
By Aurora Banks | July 01, 2014 12:08 PM EDT


Kung Fu Panda 3 Release Date A Sure Box Office Hit
(Photo : Flickr/Eva Rinaldi)

Kung Fu Panda 3 release date is scheduled on December 23, 2015. This is DreamWorks Animation's third installment to the 3D action-comedy martial arts film starring a group of highly skilled animals.

Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Huffman, David Cross, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu and Jackie Chan will all be returning to reprise their roles in Kung Fu Panda's third installment. Newly cast members Rebel Wilson (Bridesmaid), Bryan Cranston (Argo), and Mads Mikkelsen (Hannibal), will join the original team.

Rebel Wilson will be playing a very interesting and fun role in the third installment of the hit franchise Kung Fu Panda. The "Bridesmaid" star will be playing Po's love interest and she seems nothing but excited about her role, sharing on Twitter:

"Had my first recording sesh for Kung Fu Panda 3 today..crushed it x."

The lovable panda bear Po will be back in the animal action-comedy film, now facing two highly epic threats that include one supernatural phenom and one that is actually closer to home.

Kung Fu Panda 3 is directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson, written by Jonathan Aibel & Glenn Berger, produced by Melissa Cobb, and executive produced by Guillermo del Toro.

Originally Kung Fu Panda 3 was scheduled for a release date on March 18, 2016 however, DreamWorks Animation decided have it come out on December 23, 2015.

This is a rather interesting move for DreamWorks as they have been releasing the Kung Fu Panda movies during summer which, grossed $1.2 billion worldwide combined and this will be the first time for the studio to set it on a Holiday. This could be a risk for the studio, however a release date during the Christmas Holiday could also be advantageous hence it will still draw kids to the movie during the break.

For more of the hottest and latest news on Kung Fu Panda 3 release date, spoilers and trailer keep tuning in here at Kpopstarz.com.

Po's love interest...

[GeneChing]

Proving once again that there's much more to Kung Fu flix than most people think....

China is more ‘Kung Fu Panda’ than ‘Crouching Tiger’: diplomat
Published: Nov 14, 2014 8:21 a.m. ET


DFree / Shutterstock.com
Jack Black arrives at the "Kung Fu Panda 2" premiere in Los Angeles in 2011.

By Laura He Asia markets reporter

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) — China hopes to show the world that it is a peace-loving “Kung Fu panda” when it comes to international relations.

Beijing’s envoy to the U.K., Liu Xiaoming, said recently that his country is a “Kung Fu Panda fighting for justice,” referring to the lovable ursine warrior in the DreamWorks Animation DWA, -14.95% cartoon franchise, according to a report Thursday in the official newspaper People’s Daily.

China is “a participant, a constructor and maintainer of the current international system,” not “a troublemaker or wrecker,” Liu reportedly said.

The Chinese ambassador to London went on to describe the People’s Republic as “a peaceful, likeable, and civilized lion,” rather than “an elephant in a china shop” or a “crouching tiger and hidden dragon” awaiting its “chance to seek revenge” — apparently referencing the Oscar-winning martial-arts film of the same name, which is set to have a Netflix-produced NFLX, -1.08% sequel made.

Liu made the remarks while taking questions fromRoyal College of Defense Studies students and a group of senior U.K. military officers, the paper reported.

In an apparent dig at the U.S. during those remarks, Liu reportedly promised China wouldn’t pursue an Asian version of the Monroe Doctrine, the 19th-century U.S. policy of opposing European interference in the Americas.

[GeneChing]

Like we S.F. Giants fans used to say "it's up to the Panda now".

DreamWorks Relying On Kung Fu Panda 3 To Turn Around Business
Posted by: Mehdi Khomein Abadi Posted date: December 05, 2014 In: World

DreamWorks, the animation movie studio, are looking ahead to Kung Fu Panda 3 to help pull them out of a financial rut, which was compounded by a terrible opening weekend for “Penguins of Madagascar.”

The $36 million that was brought in by the Madagascar spin off was well below projections, prompting a drop in share price by 8 percent at the beginning of the week. Altogether this year the share price has plummeted 38 percent, as the studio fails to find the next Shrek.

Unfortunately it’s still a long way off until Kung Fu Panda 3 hits theatres, on December 23rd, 2015, just over a year’s time.

The first film was the studio’s highest-grossing non-Shrek release, earning a worldwide total of $631,744,560 at the box office. Kung Fu Panda 2 surpassed this, earning $665,692,281 at the box office, and both films were critically acclaimed.

DreamWorks are hoping that the third film will do just as well and help alleviate investors concerns.

One market they’re breaking in to is China, which has a massive upside due to its enormous population size. However catering to the Chinese public is not easy, especially with low living standards and rampant piracy. Furthermore there is certain red tape that could prove problematic.

It has been reported that Kung Fu Panda 3’s plot and content may have been influenced by the stringent Chinese censors, as DreamWorks partnered with Chinese firms to make the film. These firms are going under the banner Oriental DreamWorks, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have any control over the finished product. In fact the whole point of teaming up was to allow the film to meet Chinese cinema standards, and therefore gain unprecedented exposure in the country and more box office revenue.


Critics however have suggested that this could backfire and alienate Western audiences if the film loses some of its charm through censorship.

Kung Fu Panda 3 will see most of the core cast reprise their voice roles, including Jack Black as Po, Angelina Jolie as Tigress, Dustin Hoffman as Master Shifu, Lucy Liu as Viper, Seth Rogen as Mantis, Jackie Chan as Monkey, and David Cross as Crane.

[GeneChing]

...and jedi-pushes Po back three months.

'Kung Fu Panda 3' Moves Out of 2015 to Avoid 'Star Wars'


by Pamela McClintock
12/11/2014 12:52pm PDT

Making further changes to their upcoming slate, DreamWorks Animation and partner 20th Century Fox are pushing back Kung Fu Panda 3 from Dec. 23, 2015, to March 18, 2016.

Fox says it didn'twant the threequel to get caught in the wake of J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which opens in theaters six days earlier, on Dec. 18. The much-anticipated Star Wars, from Lucasfilms and Disney, is sure to appeal heavily to families over the year-end holidays.

"This is part of our constantly reevaluating the competitive landscape, as we do with all of our films," said Fox domestic distribution chief Chris Aronson.

Yet the switch likely leaves Jeffrey Katzenberg's company with only one theatrical release in 2015 after Home (March 27). DWA is planning to take animated tentpole B.O.O.: Bureau of Otherwordly Operations off the summer 2015 calendar, according to sources, although that film has yet to be officially moved.

Another DWA film, Boss Baby, was already slotted to open on March 18, 2016. The decision to put Kung Fu Panda 3 there means Boss Baby will be moved as well, although a new release date hasn't been announced yet.

The shuffling comes as DWA ponders its fate after two unsuccessful attempts to sell. Last week, merger talks fell through with Hasbro, while talks collapsed in September with Japanese giant Softbank.

Dec. 11, 1:15 a.m. Updated with quote from Fox.

[GeneChing]

Enter to win KungFuMagazine.com's contest for Kung Fu Panda 3 on Blu-Ray tm + DVD + Digital HD! Contest ends 5:30 p.m. PST on 7/10/2016

[GeneChing]

There’s A Way Scarier Version Of ‘Kung Fu Panda 3’ You Didn’t See
It might not have been fun for the whole family.
06/29/2016 09:44 am ET
Todd Van Luling
Senior Staff Writer, The Huffington Post


“KUNG FU PANDA 3”

Pandas may be the most lovable mammals on the planet (sorry humans), so witnessing one get into a fight with the prospect of losing could be emotionally taxing. The “Kung Fu Panda” movie series has navigated this balance of presenting the obvious humor of a panda throwing a punch with the all-out snapping of heart strings that would occur if a panda character died.

From personal experience, I once misplaced a stuffed panda bear I got from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. Even that loss was essentially unbearable.

With PG ratings, well over a billion dollars in box-office revenue and consistent critical praise that has led to all three installments receiving “Fresh” distinctions on Rotten Tomatoes, the “Kung Fu Panda” movies have clearly mastered a balance. But in a desire to experiment with the series’ emotional boundaries, the creators behind “Kung Fu Panda 3” recorded a version of the movie that would have been way scarier than what became the final product.

“Kung Fu Panda 3” debuted earlier this year in January and featured a new main villain character, Kai, voiced by Oscar-winning actor J.K. Simmons. Kai is a huge, menacing yak that returns from the Spirit Realm to conquer the world. The Jack Black-voiced lead character in the movie series, Po, has to figure out a way to stop this villain’s rise.

In an interview to promote the movie, Simmons told The Huffington Post that terrifying audio takes for Kai were left on the cutting room floor. “We tried some that were the scariest we thought we could possibly want to be,” said Simmons. The actor further explained that he wanted to give an “extreme” performance so directors Alessandro Carloni and Jennifer Yuh Nelson could compare it to the more traditional, tamer attempts.


“KUNG FU PANDA 3”
J.K. Simmons played the main villain, Kai, in “Kung Fu Panda 3.”

Given Simmons’ role as the aggressive and abusive Terence Fletcher in the 2014 movie “Whiplash,” it’s easy to imagine that these thrown-out takes alone could have raised the MPAA rating for “Kung Fu Panda 3.”

Simmons joked on the phone, “They kept cutting out the swearing, I don’t know why,” and laughed in agreement that an R-rated version of the movie was forthcoming.

Still, the villain-voicing actor said that the intensity never quite reached “Whiplash” levels. “I knew going in we weren’t going to be that extreme because it’s a different universe and certainly a different audience,” said Simmons, who claimed his family’s love of the series convinced him to take the part. “So, if ‘Whiplash’ was a 10, we probably never got past a 7.5.”

Carloni and Nelson did not end up using the extra scary version of Kai, instead opting to balance the character’s fear factor with humor. “At the end of the day, as an actor, it’s out of your hands,” said Simmons. “You just present options and have faith.”

“Kung Fu Panda 3” is out now on Blu-ray & DVD.


NBC VIA GETTY IMAGES
Simmons appearing on “Late Night with Seth Meyers.”

I would love to see these clips...