Will “Kung Fu Panda 4” Be Coming To Disney+?
After almost a decade, Dreamworld Pictures released the next installment in its “Kung Fu Panda” franchise in cinemas in March 2024, and the film sees Jack Black return in his role of Po, the world’s most unlikely kung fu master.
After three death-defying adventures defeating world-class villains with his unmatched courage and mad martial arts skills, Po, the Dragon Warrior, 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 also 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.
“Kung Fu Panda 4” is directed by Mike Mitchell (DreamWorks Animation’s “Trolls” and “Shrek Forever After”) and produced by Rebecca Huntley (DreamWorks Animation’s “The Bad Guys”). The film’s co-director is Stephanie Ma Stine (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power).
Will “Kung Fu Panda 4” Be Released On Disney+?
Unfortunately, since “Kung Fu Panda 4” is created by Dreamworks, which is owned by NBC Universal, it won’t be available on Disney+. Once the film has finished its theatrical run and digital release, it will be heading to Comcast’s streaming services, which include Peacock in the United States and Sky Cinema in the United Kingdom, for its pay-one streaming window.
In the United States, several Dreamworks titles are available on Hulu and Hulu On Disney+ due to a deal made back in 2018. This deal saw Disney share some original animated series based on popular franchises, including “Madagascar,” “Trolls,” “How To Train A Dragon,” and “The Croods,” between Hulu and Peacock.
Also part of the deal was access to Dreamworks library titles, which is why some older titles like “Shark Tale” are available on Hulu and Hulu On Disney+. However this deal is coming to an end, which will mean we are unlikely we will see ““Kung Fu Panda 4” arrive on Hulu and also on Hulu On Disney+.
Internationally, things are much more simpler since Disney doesn’t license Dreamworks films or shows for Disney+, so we won’t see “Kung Fu Panda 4” released on Disney+ unless there is a major change in strategy, which is unlikely.
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