Kung Fu Panda (film)
Kung Fu Panda | |
---|---|
![]() Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | |
Screenplay by | |
Story by | Ethan Reiff Cyrus Voris |
Produced by | Melissa Cobb |
Starring | |
Edited by | Clare Knight |
Music by | |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Paramount Pictures[1] |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 92 minutes[2] |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $130 million[3] |
Box office | $631.7 million[3] |
Kung Fu Panda is a 2008 American animated martial arts comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The first installment in the Kung Fu Panda franchise, it was directed by John Stevenson and Mark Osborne (in their feature directorial debuts), from a screenplay and story respectively written by the writing teams of Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger (their feature screenwriting debuts), and Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris. The film stars the voices of Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Randall Duk Kim, James Hong, Dan Fogler, Michael Clarke Duncan and Jackie Chan. The film, set in a version of ancient China populated by anthropomorphic animals, centers on a bumbling giant panda named Po (Black), a kung-fu enthusiast living in the Valley of Peace. When the savage snow leopard Tai Lung (McShane) is foretold to escape imprisonment and attack the Valley, Po is unwittingly named the "Dragon Warrior", a prophesied hero worthy of reading a scroll that has been intended to grant its reader limitless power.
The film's publicized work began in October 2004, and was conceived by Michael Lachance, a DreamWorks Animation executive, originally as a parody of martial arts films. However, director Stevenson decided to instead make an action-comedy wuxia film that incorporates the hero's journey narrative archetype for the lead character. The main characters' animation was more complex than anything DreamWorks had done before. The project was officially announced in September 2005. Like most DreamWorks Animation films, the score for Kung Fu Panda was composed by Hans Zimmer, this time collaborating with John Powell; the former visited China to absorb the culture, and used the China National Symphony Orchestra as part of the scoring process.
Kung Fu Panda premiered at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival on May 15, 2008, and was theatrically released in the United States on June 6. It grossed $631.7 million on a budget of $130 million, making it third in film in 2008 and the highest-grossing animated film of the year worldwide, in addition to having the fourth-largest opening weekend for a DreamWorks film at the American and Canadian box office, behind the Shrek franchise.[4] It received positive reviews from critics, and was nominated for an Academy Award, as well as a Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Film, but lost both awards to WALL-E. The film's success spawned a multimedia franchise, which comprises the sequels Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011), Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016) and Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024).
Plot
[edit]In the Valley of Peace, a land in Ancient China inhabited by anthropomorphic animals, a giant panda named Po helps his goose father Mr. Ping run their noodle restaurant, but dreams of fighting alongside the Furious Five – Tigress, Monkey, Crane, Viper and Mantis – a group of kung fu masters who live in the Jade Palace, where they are trained by Master Shifu, a cranky red panda. One day, the wise tortoise, Master Oogway, the founder of kung fu and the Valley's spiritual leader, predicts that Shifu's former beloved apprentice, the snow leopard Tai Lung, will escape from prison and attack the Valley to obtain the Dragon Scroll, a legendary artifact said to grant limitless power to its reader, which he had previously been denied. Panicked, Shifu sends his goose assistant, Zeng, to fortify the security at Chorh-Gom Prison, where Tai Lung is held.
Shifu holds a tournament for the Five so that Oogway can identify the Dragon Warrior, the prophesied hero worthy of reading the Scroll, and Po arrives too late to enter the arena. Desperate to see his idols, he accidentally launches himself into the middle of the tournament off a chair propelled by fireworks. Oogway proclaims Po the Dragon Warrior, much to Po's and the Masters' shock. Shifu believes Oogway's decision to be an accident, and the Five dismiss him, so Po considers quitting. However, after receiving encouragement from Oogway, he endures a frustrated Shifu's harsh training and gradually befriends the Five with his resilience, culinary skill and good humor. During this time, Tigress informs him that Shifu's distant behavior stems from his shame over Tai Lung's betrayal owing to being denied the dragon scroll, as Oogway sensed darkness in his heart, having raised him from infancy.
At Chorh-Gom Prison, Zeng's warnings are ridiculed before Tai Lung uses one of Zeng's feathers to easily escape and subdue his guards before sending Zeng back. Shifu informs Oogway, who makes him promise to believe in Po as the Dragon Warrior, names him as his successor as the Valley's leader, and ascends into the Spirit Realm. Shifu then informs Po and the Five of Tai Lung's escape and Oogway's passing, and tells Po he is the only one who can stop him. Horrified by the bad news, Po runs away, but Shifu stops him. When Shifu asks Po why he chose to stay, Po tells him that he hated who he was, and he felt that despite Shifu's harsh treatment, he still believed Shifu could change him. Po then makes Shifu admit that he does not know how to train him to be the Dragon Warrior. Tigress overhears this and leads the Five in an attempt to stop Tai Lung.
Meanwhile, Shifu discovers that Po is capable of impressive physical feats when motivated by food, and successfully trains Po by incorporating these feats into an innovative style of kung fu. The Five fight Tai Lung, but he ultimately defeats them with his nerve-strike technique, leaving only Crane, who carries the rest back to the valley as a warning. Shifu decides that Po is ready to receive the Dragon Scroll, but when Po opens it, he discovers that the scroll is nothing but a blank reflective surface. Believing the Scroll to have no power, Shifu has Po and the Five evacuate the inhabitants of the Valley while he faces Tai Lung alone to help everyone else escape. Trying to console a distraught Po, Mr. Ping reveals that his "secret ingredient soup" has no secret ingredient at all, explaining that things can become special with belief. Realizing that this is the message of the Dragon Scroll, Po rushes back to help Shifu.
At the Jade Palace, Tai Lung brutally defeats Shifu, but he discovers that the Scroll is missing. Po arrives with the Scroll, saving Shifu's life and prompting them to fight. Po proves to be a formidable opponent, gaining an edge on Tai Lung with his confusing fighting techniques. Tai Lung eventually obtains the Scroll, but does not comprehend its blank surface. Furious, Tai Lung uses his nerve-strike technique on Po, but he proves to be immune to it due to his body fat absorbing the nerve impact. Po overpowers Tai Lung in combat, and sends him to the Spirit Realm using the legendary Wuxi Finger Hold technique, which he taught himself. Po is honored by the Valley and the Five, and relaxes with a recovered Shifu.
Voice cast
[edit]![](http://178.128.105.246/cars-http-upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d3/Kung_Fu_Panda_The_Five.jpg/300px-Kung_Fu_Panda_The_Five.jpg)
The Furious Five are homages to the actual Snake, Monkey, Praying Mantis, Tiger and Crane styles of Chinese martial arts.[5]
- Jack Black as Master Ping Xiao Po the Panda, an energetic and accident-prone yet heroic panda and die-hard kung-fu fan who eventually becomes The Dragon Warrior, utilizing an unorthodox (but ultimately effective) training method involving food.
- Ian McShane as Tai Lung, an arrogant and aggressive snow leopard who was formerly Shifu's adoptive son and student.
- Riley Osborne as young Tai Lung.
- Dustin Hoffman as Master Shifu, an elderly and strict red panda and kung fu master to the Furious Five, and Po and Tai Lung's old master/adopted father.
- The Furious Five:
- Angelina Jolie as Master Tigress, a no-nonsense and tough-as-nails tiger and leader of the Furious Five.
- Seth Rogen as Master Mantis, a dry-humored mantis.
- Lucy Liu as Master Viper, a sweet and good-natured viper.
- David Cross as Master Crane, a pragmatic and sarcastic crane.
- Jackie Chan as Master Monkey, an easy-going monkey. Chan reprised his role in the Chinese dubbings of the movie.
- Randall Duk Kim as Grand Master Oogway, an ancient Galápagos tortoise and Shifu's mentor.
- James Hong as Mr. Ping, Po's adoptive father, a happy-go-lucky goose who runs a noodle-restaurant.
- Dan Fogler as Zeng, a timid palace goose and Shifu's messenger.
- Michael Clarke Duncan as Commander Vachir, a hubristic and boastful rhinoceros who is the warden of Chorh-Gom Prison, where Tai Lung is imprisoned.
Kyle Gass and JR Reed voice KG Shaw and JR Shaw, respectively, two pigs who come across Po before the Dragon Warrior tournament.[6] Other actors with minor voice roles include Wayne Knight, Laura Kightlinger and Kent Osborne.[6] The film's directors, John Stevenson and Mark Osborne, also have small voice roles.[6]
Production
[edit]... we love martial arts movies. I wasn't interested in making fun of them, because I really think martial arts movies can be great films, they can be as good as any genre movie when they're done properly ...
Let's try to make it a real martial arts movie albeit one with a comic character and let's take our action seriously. Let's not give anything up to the big summer movies. Let's really make sure that our kung fu is as cool as any kung fu ever done so that we can take our place in that canon and make sure it's a beautiful movie because great martial arts movies are really beautiful-looking movies and then let's see if we can imbue it with real heart and emotion.
~co-director John Stevenson on the comedic approach to the martial arts film.[7]
DreamWorks Animation had previously produced a PlayStation video game with a similar premise, T'ai Fu: Wrath of the Tiger, in 1999 under its defunct video game division, DreamWorks Interactive (now known as Danger Close Games).[8] In spring 2004, Eric Whitacre wrote a setting of The Seal Lullaby, the opening poem of The White Seal by Rudyard Kipling, which DreamWorks intended to adapt for an animated feature. A few weeks later, it was decided to abandon the idea and start production on Kung Fu Panda instead.[9] Publicized work on the film began in October 2004.[10] In September 2005, DreamWorks announced the film alongside Jack Black, who was selected to be the main voice star.[11]
In November 2005, DreamWorks announced that Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu and Ian McShane would join Black in the cast.[12] This is also the second DreamWorks Animation film in which Black and Angelina Jolie have co-starred together (the first being 2004's Shark Tale).[13]
The idea for the film was conceived by Michael Lachance, a DreamWorks Animation executive.[14] Initially, the idea was to make it a spoof, but co-director John Stevenson was not particularly keen on it and instead chose the direction of a character-based wuxia comedy.[7]
Reportedly inspired by Stephen Chow's 2004 martial arts action comedy film, Kung Fu Hustle,[15] the directors wanted to make sure the film had an authentic Chinese and kung fu feel to it. Production designer Raymond Zibach and art director Tang Heng spent years researching Chinese painting, sculpture, architecture and kung fu films to help create the look of the film.[16] Zibach said that some of the biggest influences for him were the more artful martial arts films, such as Hero, House of Flying Daggers and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.[16] Stevenson's aim for the film, which took four years to make, was to make "the best looking film DreamWorks has ever made".
We've had some productions that were stressful, but this one ran very smoothly and DreamWorks is [sic] this production as a template on how they would like future productions to run. We lucked out, and there really was a sense of harmony on the animation. Even the production people. We all seemed like we were on the same page, believing in the film. That doesn't happen very often. I tell animators, you will be working on dumpers for most of your career, but every once in a while you get a gem. Kung Fu Panda was a gem.
~Dan Wagner, Head of Character Animation.[17]
The hand-drawn animation sequence at the beginning of the film was made to resemble Chinese shadow puppetry.[18] The opening, which was directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson and produced by James Baxter, was praised by The New York Times reviewer Manohla Dargis as "striking" and "visually different from most mainstream American animations".[19]
Other reviewers have compared the opening to the evocative style of Genndy Tartakovsky's Cartoon Network series Samurai Jack.[20][21] The rest of the film is modern computer animation, which uses bright, offbeat colors to evoke the natural landscape of China.[18] The end credit sequence also features hand-drawn characters and still paintings in the background.[18]
The computer animation used throughout the film was more complex than anything DreamWorks had done before. When the head of the production handed the script to VFX Supervisor Markus Manninen, she reportedly laughed and wished him "good luck". "When we started talking", said Manninen, "the movie was still a high concept. But for everyone that looked at it, it screamed complexity. We launched off by saying, how can you make this movie tangible? How can you find smart ways to bring this world to life in a way that makes it a great movie and not feel like the complexity becomes the driver of the story, but the story and the emotion being the driver?"[22] In preparation, the animators took a six-hour kung fu class.[23]
Producer Melissa Cobb said that Po was originally "more of a jerk", but that the character changed after they heard Black.[23] According to Black, he worked mostly "in isolation", although he and Dustin Hoffman did spend a day together, which Cobb said helped with the scene in which their characters face off.[23] Lucy Liu said that the film "was quite different because it was such a long process".[24] Liu said that when she was presented with the project, they already had artwork of her character, as well as a "short computerized video version of what she would look like when she moved".[24]
Release
[edit]Theatrical
[edit]The film held its world premiere at the 61st Cannes Film Festival May 15, 2008,[25] where it received massive and sustained applause at the end of the film's screening.[26] Kung Fu Panda later had national premieres in IMAX in the US June 1, 2008, at AMC and Regal Cinemas in Hollywood, California,[27] and in the UK June 26, 2008, at Leicester Square in London.[28] To promote the film's Japanese release, a manga based on the story was released in Japan in the September 2008 issue of Kerokero Ace magazine.[29] The illustrations were done by Takafumi Adachi.[30]
Home media
[edit]Kung Fu Panda was released on DVD and Blu-ray November 9, 2008,[31] and on 3D Blu-ray December 6, 2011, as a Best Buy exclusive.[32] The DVD double-disc release of Kung Fu Panda also includes the short animated film, Secrets of the Furious Five.[31] The film was released on 4K UHD March 12, 2024, and included the short film Secrets of the Scroll.[33] On June 6, 2024, it was announced that Kung Fu Panda was released on Peacock on June 6, 2024.
With 7,486,642 DVD units sold in 2008, Kung Fu Panda was the fourth highest-selling film and the highest-selling animated film of 2008, above WALL-E, which sold 7,413,548 units.[34] As of February 2010, 17.4 million home entertainment units were sold worldwide.[35]
Reception
[edit]Box office
[edit]The film topped the box office in its opening weekend, grossing $60.2 million for a $14,642 average from 4,114 theaters,[36] and performing much better than analysts had been expecting.[37] It was also the highest-grossing opening for a non-sequel DreamWorks Animation film at the time.[37] In its second weekend, the film retreated 44% to second place behind The Incredible Hulk, grossing $33.6 million, for a $8,127 average, from expanding to 4,136 theaters.[38] It closed October 9, 2008, after 125 days of release, grossing $215.4 million in the United States and Canada, and $416.3 million overseas, for a worldwide total of $631.7 million.[3] Kung Fu Panda was the highest-grossing non-Shrek film from DreamWorks Animation in the United States and Canada before it was surpassed by How to Train Your Dragon in 2010.[39]
Critical response
[edit]Rotten Tomatoes reports that 87% of 193 reviewers gave the film a positive review; the average rating is 7.1/10. The website's consensus reads: "Kung Fu Panda has a familiar message, but the pleasing mix of humor, swift martial arts action, and colorful animation makes for winning summer entertainment."[40] At Metacritic, the film has an average score of 74 out of 100, based on 36 reviews.[41] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on a scale of A+ to F.[42]
Richard Corliss of Time magazine gave Kung Fu Panda a positive review, stating the picture "provides a master course in cunning visual art and ultra-satisfying entertainment".[43]
The New York Times said, "At once fuzzy-wuzzy and industrial strength, the tacky-sounding Kung Fu Panda is high concept with a heart," and the review called the film "consistently diverting" and "visually arresting".[19]
Chris Barsanti of Filmcritic.com commented, "Blazing across the screen with eye-popping, sublime artwork, Kung Fu Panda sets itself apart from the modern domestic animation trend with its sheer beauty ... the film enters instant classic status as some of the most gorgeous animation Hollywood has produced since the golden age of Disney."[44]
Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune called the film "one of the few comedies of 2008 in any style or genre that knows what it's doing".[45]
However, Tom Charity of CNN criticized the action for tending "to blur into a whirlwind of slapstick chaos", and considered the character of Po too similar to others played by Black.[46]
Peter Howell of The Toronto Star awarded the film two and a half stars, considering it to have a "lack of story" that "frequently manages to amuse, if not entirely to delight".[47]
Kung Fu Panda was also well received in China.[48] It made nearly 110 million yuan by July 2, 2008, becoming the first animated film to earn more than 100 million yuan in China.[49][50] The Chinese director Lu Chuan commented, "From a production standpoint, the movie is nearly perfect. Its American creators showed a very sincere attitude about Chinese culture."[51][52] The film's critical and commercial success in China led to some local introspection about why no film like Kung Fu Panda had been produced in China, with commentators attributing the problem variously to lower film budgets in China, too much government oversight, a dearth of national imagination, and an overly reverent attitude to China's history and cultural icons.[53][54][55]
The Slovenian philosopher, cultural theorist and public intellectual, Slavoj Žižek, offered an admiration of Kung Fu Panda when he was invited to the talk show, Charlie Rose.[56]
Accolades
[edit]Kung Fu Panda was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature[57] and the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film.[58] Jack Black joked about the film's underdog status at the 81st Academy Awards, saying, "Each year, I do one DreamWorks project, then I take all the money to the Oscars and bet it on Pixar."[59]
By contrast, Kung Fu Panda won ten Annie Awards (including Best Animated Feature) out of sixteen nominations, which sparked controversy, with some accusing DreamWorks head Jeffrey Katzenberg of rigging the vote by buying ASIFA-Hollywood memberships (with voting power) for everyone at DreamWorks Animation.[60]
Award | Category | Name | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
Academy Awards[57] | Best Animated Feature | John Stevenson Mark Osborne |
Nominated |
Annie Awards[61][62] | Best Animated Effects in an Animated Production | Li-Ming 'Lawrence' Lee | Won |
Best Animated Feature | Won | ||
Best Character Animation in a Feature Production | James Baxter | Won | |
Philippe Le Brun | Nominated | ||
Dan Wagner | Nominated | ||
Best Character Design in an Animated Feature Production | Nico Marlet | Won | |
Best Directing in an Animated Feature Production | John Stevenson Mark Osborne |
Won | |
Best Music in an Animated Feature Production | Hans Zimmer John Powell |
Won | |
Best Production Design in an Animated Feature Production | Tang Kheng Heng | Won | |
Raymond Zibach | Nominated | ||
Best Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production | Jennifer Yuh Nelson | Won | |
Alessandro Carloni | Nominated | ||
Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production | Dustin Hoffman | Won | |
James Hong | Nominated | ||
Ian McShane | Nominated | ||
Best Writing in an Animated Feature Production | Jonathan Aibel Glenn Berger |
Won | |
ASCAP Award | Top Box Office Films | Hans Zimmer and John Powell | Won |
Critics' Choice Awards[63] | Best Animated Feature | Nominated | |
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards[64] | Best Animated Feature | Nominated | |
Golden Globe Awards[58] | Best Animated Feature Film | Nominated | |
Golden Tomato Awards 2008[65] | Best Animated Feature | Kung Fu Panda | 2nd Place |
Wide Release | 5th Place | ||
Golden Reel Awards[66][67] | Best Sound Editing: Sound Effects, Foley, Dialogue and ADR Animation in a Feature Film |
Ethan Van Der Ryn Erik Aadahl Mike Hopkins Jonathan Klein Adam Milo Smalley Peter Oso Snell Wayne Lemmer Paul Pirola P.K. Hooker Dan O'Connell John Cucci |
Nominated |
Golden Trailer Awards | Best Animation/Family | Nominated | |
Huabiao Awards | Outstanding Translated Film | Won | |
National Movie Awards[68] | Best Family Film | Nominated | |
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards[69][70] | Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie | Jack Black | Won |
Favorite Animated Movie | Nominated | ||
Online Film Critics Society[71] | Best Animated Film | Nominated | |
Producers Guild of America[72] | Animated Motion Picture | Melissa Cobb | Nominated |
People's Choice Awards[73] | Favorite Family Movie | Nominated | |
Teen Choice Awards[74] | Choice Summer Movie: Comedy | Nominated | |
Visual Effects Society[75] | Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Motion Picture | Jack Black Dan Wagner Nico Marlet Peter Farson |
Nominated |
Outstanding Animation in an Animated Motion Picture | Markus Manninen Dan Wagner Alex Parkinson Raymond Zibach |
Nominated | |
Outstanding Effects Animation in an Animated Motion Picture | Markus Manninen Alex Parkinson Amaury Aubel Li-Ming 'Lawrence' Lee |
Nominated |
Soundtrack
[edit]As with most DreamWorks animated movies, composer Hans Zimmer scored Kung Fu Panda. Zimmer visited China to absorb the culture, and got to know the Chinese National Symphony as part of his preparation. Timbaland also contributed to the soundtrack.[76] The soundtrack also includes a partially rewritten version of the classic song, "Kung Fu Fighting", performed by Cee-Lo Green and Jack Black for the end credits. In some versions, the end credit was sung by Rain.[citation needed] Although Zimmer was originally announced as the main composer of the film, CEO of DreamWorks Animation SKG Jeffrey Katzenberg announced during a test screening that composer John Powell would also be contributing to the score. This marked the first collaboration in eight years for the two, who had previously worked together on DreamWorks's The Road to El Dorado and the action-thriller Chill Factor. The soundtrack album was released by Interscope Records June 3, 2008.[77]
Spin-offs
[edit]Manga
[edit]A manga based on the film was released in Japan in Kerokero Ace magazine's September 2008 issue.[78] It was written by Hanten Okuma and illustrated by Takafumi Adachi.[79]
Television series
[edit]A television series titled Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness aired on Nickelodeon, with its premiere September 19, 2011.[80] From the cast of Kung Fu Panda, only Lucy Liu and James Hong reprised their roles of Master Viper and Mr. Ping, respectively.[81] In the series, Po continues to defend the Valley of Peace from all kinds of villains while making mistakes, learning about the history of kung fu, and meeting other kung fu masters. In the United States, the series ended its run June 29, 2016, with a total of three seasons and 80 episodes. However, prior to premiering in the U.S., the final few episodes premiered in Germany from December 30, 2014, to January 7, 2015.[citation needed]
Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny is an animated web-television series produced by DreamWorks Animation, released for Amazon Prime November 16, 2018. It is the second TV series in the Kung Fu Panda franchise, following Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness. Mick Wingert reprised his role as Po from Legends of Awesomeness.[82]
A third series, also set after Kung Fu Panda 3, titled Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight, premiered on Netflix in July 2022, with Jack Black reprising his role as Po.[83]
Holiday special
[edit]The television holiday special, titled Kung Fu Panda Holiday, aired on NBC Wednesday, November 24, 2010.[84]
Video game
[edit]A video game adaptation of the film was published June 3, 2008, by Activision.[85] The game was released for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS and PC platforms. The plot follows the same basic plot as the film, but with Tai Lung portrayed as the leader of various gangs that surround the Valley of Peace, which Po, who possesses some basic martial art skills that can be upgraded as the game progresses, must defeat. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, as well as multiple consoles.
The game received mostly positive reviews. It scored a Metacritic rating of 76%,[86] and a 7.5 out of 10 from IGN.[87] In 2009, it won the International Animated Film Society's Annie Award for Best Animated Video Game, "in recognition of creative excellence in the art of animation".[88]
Sequels
[edit]Following the financial success of Kung Fu Panda, DreamWorks Animation began development on a sequel.[89] Kung Fu Panda 2 surpassed the box-office take of the first film,[90] and received a similarly positive critical and audience response.[91] A third film, Kung Fu Panda 3, was released in 2016,[92] becoming one of the highest-grossing films of 2016.[93] Kung Fu Panda 4 released on March 8, 2024.[94]
Literature
[edit]- 2008: Susan Korman: Kung Fu Panda - The Junior Novel (Novelization), HarperFestival, ISBN 978-0-0614-3463-1
Lawsuits
[edit]DreamWorks Animation was sued in 2011 by a writer, Terence Dunn, for allegedly stealing the idea for Kung Fu Panda from him.[95] Dunn alleged that DreamWorks Animation had stolen his pitch for a "spiritual kung-fu fighting panda bear" that he sent to a DreamWorks executive in 2001.[95] DreamWorks Animation denied any wrongdoing, and after a two-week trial, the jurors found in favor of DreamWorks.[95]
In 2011, another lawsuit was brought against the studio by an illustrator named Jayme Gordon. Gordon had supposedly created characters under the name "Kung Fu Panda Power" and registered them with the U.S. Copyright Office in 2000.[96] He had allegedly pitched this concept to Disney while Jeffrey Katzenberg, who left Disney and formed DreamWorks Animation in 1994, was working there. Gordon withdrew his claim just before the trial was due to take place.[97] On December 20, 2015, federal prosecutors charged Gordon with four counts of wire fraud and three counts of perjury for allegedly fabricating and backdating drawings to support the claims in his lawsuit, and for allegedly tracing some of his drawings from a coloring book featuring characters from Disney's The Lion King franchise.[98] On November 18, 2016, Gordon was convicted for wire fraud and perjury, facing a sentence of up to 25 years in prison.[99] In May 2017, he was sentenced to two years in federal prison and ordered to pay $3 million in restitution.[100]
See also
[edit]- Enter the Fat Dragon (1978)
- T'ai Fu: Wrath of the Tiger (1999)
- Legend of a Rabbit (2011)
- Shifu (or sifu), which means "skillful person" or a "master"
References
[edit]- ^ a b "AFI|Catalog". Archived from the original on December 20, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
- ^ "KUNG FU PANDA". British Board of Film Classification. June 24, 2008. Archived from the original on August 4, 2020. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
- ^ a b c "Kung Fu Panda". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
- ^ "'Shrek Forever After' roars to top of box office". MSNBC. May 23, 2010. Archived from the original on May 26, 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
- ^ "Kung Fu Panda-production-five fighting warriors". DreamWorks. Archived from the original on February 17, 2015. Retrieved September 1, 2008.
- ^ a b c Hough, Q.V. (December 8, 2020). "Kung Fu Panda Cast Guide: Who Voices Which Character". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
- ^ a b Douglas, Edward (June 2, 2008). "EXCL: Kung Fu Panda Co-Director John Stevenson". ComingSoon.net. Archived from the original on June 5, 2008. Retrieved June 5, 2008.
- ^ "T'ai Fu: Wrath of the Tiger (PlayStation) - Pixelpendium (Beta)". www.pixelpendium.com. Retrieved October 18, 2020.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "The Seal Lullaby – Music Catalog – Eric Whitacre". EricWhitacre.com. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
- ^ Aggerholm, Barbara (October 5, 2004). "Giving a shark some bite; Local animator swims with the big boys". Kitchener Record. Archived from the original on June 9, 2008. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
- ^ "Dreamworks Animation Plans Kung Fu Panda". Empire. September 21, 2005. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 5, 2008.
- ^ "DreamWorks Announces the Cast of Kung Fu Panda". UPI Entertainment News. November 9, 2005. Archived from the original on September 17, 2011. Retrieved September 1, 2008.
- ^ Bowles, Scott (May 6, 2011). "Jolie, Black perfect for 'Kung Fu Panda 2'". USA Today. Archived from the original on December 31, 2014. Retrieved December 31, 2014.
- ^ "Imagi Announces Strategic Alliance for Gatchaman and Astro Boy Toy Development". Anime News Network. August 7, 2007. Archived from the original on October 8, 2013. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
- ^ Gaul, Lou (November 4, 2005). "1104 Film Clips". Bucks County Courier Times. Retrieved September 1, 2008.
- ^ a b "Kung Fu Panda gets cuddly". Daily News. New York. May 31, 2008. Archived from the original on June 4, 2008. Retrieved June 5, 2008.
- ^ Dunlop, Renne. "Kung Fu Panda - One For Life". CG Studios. Archived from the original on August 30, 2008. Retrieved August 29, 2008.
- ^ a b c Hewitt, Chris (June 6, 2008). "Kung Fu Panda is fresh, surprising and beautiful". TwinCities.com. Archived from the original on June 9, 2008. Retrieved June 7, 2008.
- ^ a b Dargis, Manohla (June 6, 2008). "Fuzzy Outsider, Kicking His Way Toward His Dream". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 9, 2008. Retrieved June 10, 2008.
- ^ "Kung Fu Cinemapoo Kung Fu Panda review". Kung Fu Cinema. Archived from the original on June 29, 2012. Retrieved September 1, 2008.
- ^ Garrett, Stephen. "Timeout Kung Fu Panda review". Time Out. Archived from the original on August 16, 2008. Retrieved September 1, 2008.
- ^ Dunlop, Renne. "'Kung Fu Panda'". CG Studios. Archived from the original on December 27, 2008. Retrieved August 29, 2008.
- ^ a b c Roberts, Sheila. "Jack Black Interview, Kung Fu Panda". MoviesOnline. Archived from the original on June 20, 2009. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
- ^ a b Roberts, Sheila. "Lucy Liu Interview, Kung Fu Panda". MoviesOnline. Archived from the original on March 28, 2009. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
- ^ "DreamWorks Animation's 'Kung Fu Panda' Kicks Off Cannes Film Festival 2008". Reuters. May 14, 2008. Archived from the original on July 25, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
- ^ "Kung Fu Panda, a martial arts masterpiece". Reuters. May 16, 2008. Archived from the original on May 20, 2008. Retrieved June 1, 2008.
- ^ Giardina, Carolyn (June 1, 2008). "Helmers talk 'Kung Fu Panda'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
- ^ "Kung Fu Panda, London premiere". BBC. June 27, 2008. Archived from the original on March 25, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2008.
- ^ "America's Kung Fu Panda Film Gets Manga in Japan (Updated)". Anime News Network. August 4, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
- ^ "Anime Central - Kung Fu Panda Manga Released in Japan". October 13, 2010. Archived from the original on October 13, 2010. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
- ^ a b DreamWorks Animation SKG (September 15, 2008). "Pandamonium Breaks Loose on Sunday, November 9th When the Year's Biggest Comedy Debuts on DVD and Blu-ray Along With DreamWorks Animation's World Premiere of Po's All-New Adventure" (Press release). CNW. Archived from the original on August 21, 2016. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
- ^ "'Kung Fu Panda - 3D' and 'Kung Fu Panda 2 - 3D' Blu-ray 3D Best Buy Exclusives". High-Def Digest. December 6, 2011. Archived from the original on January 12, 2012. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
- ^ Kung Fu Panda, Studio Distribution Services, March 12, 2024, retrieved March 15, 2024
- ^ "Top-Selling DVDs of 2008". The Numbers. Archived from the original on June 11, 2011. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
- ^ "DreamWorks Animation Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2009 Financial Results" (Press release). Archived from the original on October 31, 2019. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
- ^ "Weekend Box Office Results for June 6–8, 2008". Box Office Mojo. June 8, 2008. Archived from the original on June 2, 2011. Retrieved May 30, 2011.
- ^ a b Finke, Nikki (June 6, 2008). "COMEDIES KICK BUTT! 'Kung Fu Panda' $60M Wkd; Adam Sandler's 'Zohan' $40M; #4 'Sex And The City' Nears $100M Cume". Deadline Hollywood. Mail.com Media. Archived from the original on December 30, 2011. Retrieved May 30, 2011.
- ^ "Weekend Box Office Results for June 13–15, 2008". Box Office Mojo. June 15, 2008. Archived from the original on June 16, 2011. Retrieved May 30, 2011.
- ^ Sciretta, Peter (June 30, 2010). "How To Train Your Dragon Has Become Dreamwork Animation's Highest Grossing Non-Shrek Movie". /Film. Archived from the original on August 23, 2011. Retrieved May 30, 2011.
- ^ "Kung Fu Panda". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
- ^ "Kung Fu Panda". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 1, 2016). "'Kung Fu Panda 3' Gets Leg Up On Fierce 1st Quarter & Scores Record January Toon Opening – Monday B.O. Postmortem". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
- ^ Corliss, Richard (June 5, 2008). "Kung Fu Panda: Wise Heart, Sweet Art". Time. Archived from the original on June 6, 2008. Retrieved July 28, 2008.
- ^ Barsanti, Chris. "'Kung Fu Panda'". Film Critic. Archived from the original on July 28, 2008. Retrieved July 28, 2008.
- ^ Phillips, Michael (June 8, 2008). "Movie review: 'Kung Fu Panda'". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on April 30, 2011. Retrieved May 30, 2011.
- ^ Charity, Tom (June 6, 2008). "Review: 'Panda' is bear-ly good". CNN. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
- ^ Howell, Peter (June 6, 2008). "Kung Fu Panda: Panders to the predictable". The Toronto Star. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
- ^ "Kung Fu Panda Received with Enthusiasm in Asia". Toonzone. Archived from the original on August 25, 2012. Retrieved June 24, 2008.
- ^ "Kung Fu Panda breaks Chinese box-office records". The Daily Telegraph. London. July 8, 2008. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved August 27, 2008.
- ^ ""Kung Fu Panda" Breaks Box Office Record of Animation". CriEnglish. July 8, 2008. Archived from the original on July 23, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2008.
- ^ "Kung Fu Panda reaches Chinese box office milestone". International Herald Tribune. Archived from the original on June 8, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2008.
- ^ Lee, Min (July 3, 2008). "Kung Fu Panda reaches Chinese box office milestone". USA Today. Archived from the original on August 2, 2008. Retrieved July 28, 2008.
- ^ Bernstein, Richard (July 20, 2008). "The Panda That Roared". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 17, 2011. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
- ^ Fan, Maureen (July 12, 2008). "Kung Fu Panda Hits A Sore Spot in China". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 12, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
- ^ Watts, Jonathan (July 8, 2008). "Kung Fu Panda: "The director has really got in touch with what China is today"". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on September 2, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
- ^ "Slavoj Žižek". Charlie Rose. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
- ^ a b "14 cartoons seek 3 Oscar berths". Reuters. November 11, 2008. Archived from the original on March 17, 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2008.
- ^ a b Finke, Nikki (December 11, 2008). "66th Annual Golden Globe Nominations". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
- ^ Corliss, Richard (April 5, 2010). "Dreaming Up How to Train Your Dragon". Time. Archived from the original on March 28, 2010. Retrieved May 30, 2011.
- ^ O'Neil, Tom (January 31, 2009). "Kung Fu Panda dropkicks Wall-E at Annie Awards". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 18, 2009. Retrieved July 12, 2009.
- ^ Moody, Annemarie (January 22, 2009). "Oscar Nominations: Bolt, Kung Fu Panda and WALL-E Get Best Animated Feature Nods". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on May 3, 2019. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
- ^ Debruge, Peter (January 30, 2009). "'Kung Fu Panda' rules Annie Awards". Variety. Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
- ^ Hayes, Dade (December 9, 2008). "Critics Choice favors 'Milk,' 'Button'". Variety. Archived from the original on July 25, 2015. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
- ^ "2008 Chicago Film Critics Awards". Chicago Film Critics Association. Archived from the original on December 17, 2012. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
- ^ No (January 7, 2008). "The 10th Annual Golden Tomato Awards". Rotten Tomaoes. Archived from the original on April 27, 2016. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
- ^ "Best Sound Editing: Sound Effects, Foley, Dialogue and ADR Animation in a Feature Film" (PDF). Motion Picture Sound Editors. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 15, 2010. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
- ^ Kilday, Gregg (January 25, 2009). "'Button' among Golden Reel nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 11, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
- ^ "Mamma Mia! wins best musical at National Movie Awards". The Telegraph. September 9, 2008. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
- ^ Schneider, Michael (February 5, 2009). "Miley Cyrus dominates Kids' Choice". Variety. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
- ^ "'High School Musical 3' wins at Kids' Choice". Today. The Associated Press. March 28, 2009. Archived from the original on June 22, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
- ^ "2008 Awards (12th Annual)". Online Film Critics Society. January 3, 2012. Archived from the original on July 14, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
- ^ King, Susan (January 6, 2009). "The producers take it seriously". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved October 23, 2022.
- ^ "People's Choice gets into action". The Hollywood Reporter. Associated Press. November 11, 2008. Archived from the original on December 16, 2018. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
- ^ "2008 Teen Choice Awards winners and nominees". Los Angeles Times. June 17, 2008. Archived from the original on September 12, 2008. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
- ^ "'Iron Man' leads pack at VES noms". Variety. January 19, 2009. Archived from the original on October 4, 2015. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
- ^ DuBois, Stephanie; Emily Feimster (September 18, 2007). "The Big Screen Scene". National Ledger. Archived from the original on June 9, 2008. Retrieved June 7, 2008.
- ^ Cohen, Jonathan (May 12, 2008). "Jack Black, Cee-Lo cover Kung Fu Fighting". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved June 4, 2008.
- ^ "America's Kung Fu Panda Film Gets Manga in Japan (Updated)". Anime News Network. May 12, 2009. Archived from the original on April 25, 2009. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
- ^ "Kung Fu Panda Manga Released in Japan". Anime Central. Archived from the original on October 13, 2010. Retrieved May 20, 2010.
- ^ "Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness". Nickelodeon. Archived from the original on September 24, 2011. Retrieved September 18, 2011.
- ^ Nickelodeon (October 25, 2011). "Megahit Martial Arts Panda is Back as Nickelodeon and Dreamworks Animation Premiere Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness, New CG-Animated Series, Monday, Nov. 7, at 5:30 P.M. (ET/PT)" (Press release). PR Newswire. Archived from the original on November 12, 2011. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
- ^ "The Nightfly with Dave Juskow – Live from Los Angeles with Mitch Watson". Player FM. November 9, 2017. Archived from the original on June 30, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
- ^ Motamayor, Rafael (March 16, 2022). "Jack Black To Reprise Role As Po For Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight Netflix Series". Slash Film. Archived from the original on March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
- ^ NBC and DreamWorks Animation Bring One of a Kind Animated Programming to Audiences at Home For the Holidays with New Original Specials Scared Shrekless and Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special, NBC via The Futon Critic, September 9, 2010 Retrieved 26 September 26, 2010
- ^ "Kung Fu Panda Video Game Demo Now Available on Xbox Live Marketplace". GameSpy. May 1, 2008. Archived from the original on July 3, 2012. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
- ^ "Kung Fu Panda". Metacritic. Archived from the original on September 5, 2008. Retrieved September 1, 2008.
- ^ Brudvig, Erik (June 9, 2008). "Kung Fu Panda Review". IGN. Archived from the original on May 20, 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2008.
- ^ Kilday, Gregg (February 2, 2009). ""Kung Fu Panda" sweeps Annie Awards". Reuters. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
- ^ Kilday, Gregg (October 1, 2008). "Kung Fu Panda sequel set for 2011". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 25, 2023. Retrieved November 25, 2023 – via Associated Press.
- ^ "Paramount Intl First To Pass $2B In 2011". Deadline Hollywood. August 2, 2011. Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ^ "Kung Fu Panda 2". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
- ^ Ford, Rebecca (April 14, 2015). "Kung Fu Panda 3 Release Date Moves Up Two Months". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 17, 2015. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ^ "2016 Worldwide Box Office". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on October 10, 2020. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 12, 2022). "DreamWorks Animation's Kung Fu Panda 4 Is Happening; Universal Sets 2024 Release". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 16, 2022. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ^ a b c Belloni, Matthew (July 25, 2011). "Jury Sides With DreamWorks Animation in 'Kung Fu Panda' Case (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
- ^ Gardner, Eriq (February 17, 2011). "DreamWorks Hit With Another Lawsuit Over 'Kung Fu Panda' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 20, 2011. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
- ^ Gardner, Eriq (July 31, 2013). "DreamWorks Animation Wins Big 'Kung Fu Panda' Lawsuit (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 18, 2015. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
- ^ Valencia, Milton (December 21, 2011). "Randolph Man Accused of Fraud in 'Kung Fu Panda' Suit Case". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on December 23, 2015. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
- ^ Amidi, Amid (November 19, 2016). "Fake 'Kung Fu Panda' Creator Convicted of Fraud, Faces Up To 25 Years in Prison". Cartoon Brew. Archived from the original on November 20, 2016. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
- ^ Robb, David (May 3, 2017). "'Kung Fu Panda' Hoaxer Gets 2-Year Prison Term In $12M Fraud Scheme". Deadline. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
External links
[edit]![](http://178.128.105.246/cars-http-upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
![](http://178.128.105.246/cars-http-upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Wikiquote-logo.svg/34px-Wikiquote-logo.svg.png)
- 2008 films
- Kung Fu Panda films
- 2008 computer-animated films
- 2008 action comedy films
- 2000s adventure comedy films
- 2000s American animated films
- 2000s children's comedy films
- 2000s fantasy comedy films
- 2008 martial arts films
- American action comedy films
- American computer-animated films
- American animated films about revenge
- Animated films about talking animals
- Best Animated Feature Annie Award winners
- Films directed by John Stevenson
- Films directed by Mark Osborne
- DreamWorks Animation animated films
- 2000s English-language films
- IMAX films
- American martial arts comedy films
- Films scored by Hans Zimmer
- Films scored by John Powell
- Films adapted into television shows
- Kung fu films
- Paramount Pictures films
- Paramount Pictures animated films
- Wuxia films
- Films with screenplays by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger
- 2008 directorial debut films
- 2008 comedy films
- Animated films about big cats
- Snow leopards in popular culture