Kung Fu Panda sequels

[Justin1993]

So, in an interview, Jeffrey Katzenberg says that Dreamworks has plans to make 4 more sequels for the Kung Fu Panda franchise. After the second movie, I have to say I'm a little concerned about the plot for further sequels. I have been reading a lot of comments from people saying they want Po to find his parents and honestly I say that is a bad idea. I think they should leave it as it is and continue with a separate storyline. I don't think the ending to KFP2 was open enough to lead to a continuation. When I saw that Po's dad was still alive, the first thought in my head was "I hope the 3rd movie doesn't have Po finding him." I feel that this would invalidate everything he went through in KFP2. To have Po find his father would be a spit in the face to the whole movie. If Dreamworks does decide to go down this road and fulfill the want of their movie's fans, I will not watch the remaining 3 sequels. What do you think about the future of the KFP franchise?

[DarkHououmon]

Well what if the meeting was the result of his father finding him or an accidental meeting? Would that somehow invalidate the sequel? I think a movie where we meet Po's father would be interesting, and I would love to see Po meeting his father. He doesn't have to go out looking for him; it could simply be a chance meeting.

[Justin1993]

Po finding his father may make a good surprise ending twist. Dreamworks could make a short for what happens after they meet and add it to the special features on the DVD/Blu-Ray releases. However, I do not think making an entire movie about it would be necessary. I fear how they would approach the movie without destroying what I found good about the 2nd movie. I may be alone in this opinion, but I just can't see myself watching the next sequel if it happens. That's not saying I won't, but after watching 2, it just sounds like a bad idea. I prefer a sequel that delves into Tigress's past, but not as the main plot, just a big subplot. They kept dropping little hints about her past but never even attempted to explain why she was so familiar with what Po was going through. That really bothered me about the movie. But, back on topic, I may not give up the franchise if Po does find his parents in the next movie. Feeling how I do about the 2nd movie, I won't hold the sequel in high regards, however. That's not saying the movie won't be good for anybody else. This are all my opinions.

If Dreamworks does decide to go down this road and fulfill the want of their movie's fans, I will not watch the remaining 3 sequels.

I retract this statement.

[rKrizik]

I have to admit, I thought more-or-less the same thing.
The ending did seem slightly out-of-place when we saw everything that Po went through to come to terms with what happened to him in his past, and not to mention the seemingly newly-forged relationship, the father/son bond between him and Mr. Ping.
I honestly can't see how they would continue with that in later movies...it would be weird if Po's biological father met Mr. Ping...

[Adder]

I've seen the first (in school) and I can already say I won't watch the sequels. It copied Happy Feet, Madagascar, Surf's Up and Ice Age: The Meltdown too much for my liking. Just my opinion, but I don't think that Kung Fu Panda deserves any more sequels (actually it didn't even deserve one if you ask me, but its already out, so...). Having three more sequels planned with the second just came out? I think that is pushing it a little too much. They don't even know if the third will do good enough to get a fourth, fifth and sixth film.

I don't understand why Dreamworks is making a sequel to these when they never even considered one for Over the Hedge. The animation lacks being the realism of other computer animated movies such as Ice Age, Rio, Happy Feet, Surf's Up, Over the Hedge and even Madagascar. At least those movies have the fur and feathers of the characters. The acting was also terrible. Honestly, when I watched it in school, I felt stupid being in the same room it was being shown.

[DarkHououmon]

Actually I think it would be awesome if Po's biological father met Ping. I would love to see how they interact with each other, if their personalities are similar or if they clash, etc. Po's biological father has long thought Po to be dead; I think it would be fair to have him meet his son and see what he has become. This doesn't mean he has to take over being a father. He doesn't have to force himself in Po's life. But I still think it would be a good idea to have him meet his biological son and his adopted father.

[Campion1]

Scrattelover, I saw no parallels between those films you mentioned and Kung fu panda. Most of those films were ripoffs of other stuff to begin with. Kung fu panda was the first "Good" thing to come from dreamworks in a long time.

[Ptyra]

Scrattelover, I saw no parallels between those films you mentioned and Kung fu panda. Most of those films were ripoffs of other stuff to begin with. Kung fu panda was the first "Good" thing to come from dreamworks in a long time.

Frankly I agree =P.
The KFP movies are kind of the only thing I liked about the Dreamworks films. Well...Rio was pretty good too.

And I freakin' LOVED the second movie. It was one of the few movies that I felt had a better sequel than the first and kicked off the plot far faster, plus much more time with the villain. Hnnnnnng, Lord Shen was great! So much love for Lord Shen! I liked the serious tone of both films, but they still managed to get in some pretty good humor...and the theme of inter-species adoption, my favorites between being Po and Mr. Ping, and Shen and the Soothsayer (she was his nanny when he was a child).

Shen was one of those villains that I really felt capability to sympathize with, and I felt sorry for him in his delusion that his parents hated him...especially when he talked about it with the Soothsayer, you could tell how upset he was with it. Delusions of neglect from parents? Take over the whole country with your parents' invention...that being fireworks. And Gary Oldman just just the whipped cream on the pudding for him! The Soothsayer was fun too. It was easy to tell that she cared for Shen in spite of his horridness...and that she was always trying to eat his robes.

But tell me...how the HECK did it "copy" all the others!?

[DarkHououmon]

I agree. I saw no comparison of Kung Fu Panda and the movies you mentioned, Adder. What exactly did it copy? They're completely different. The only similarity I can possibly see is that the protagonists are animals, which have been done before.

And it's a shame you won't see Kung Fu Panda 2, as it is a really good movie. In my opinion, it's better than the original.

[Ptyra]

Phenomenally better, I'd say...it was even nominated for Best Animated Picture in the Oscars...and lost to Rango :/ ...Oh well.

[Petrie85]

People have said that the sequel was better than the first. I never saw the sequel. And I wonder if they're making a third one. Like what are these movies copying anyhow?

[Ptyra]

Well, so far, KFP seems to be standing on its own well enough...I mean

Antz = A Bug's Life. Obscure worker ant wanting something far better who is living a life under some form of oppressive overlord, who eventually overcomes his awkwardness and falls in love with the princess. Of the next two, Antz seems more like the rip off of A Bug's Life. Though it was released first, it went into production long after A Bug's Life. And they should have had those WASP wasps more. Those WASP wasps were awesome

Madagascar = The Wild. Animals who get out of their familiar (New York) zoo surroundings and end up in the wilderness by boat. Complete with a lion and giraffe in both groups...though, I found the reason for getting into the wilderness in The Wild more interesting than Madagascar. And if I remember correctly, the Wild also went into production before Madagascar.

Happy Feet = Pebble and the Penguin. Odd penguin out gets separated from home and must get there to save the day and get the girl. I still like Pebble and the Penguin better than Happy Feet. Too much of an environmental message in HF for me and they SHOULD HAVE KEPT THE SEAGULL SCENE! Steve Irwin Seagull > Steve Irwin Elephant Seal!

I really feel like KFP is the best of the whole lot. It had a major lack of pop culture references, one factor I love, the soundtrack makes me drool, and I sort of like how Po has developed between the first and second movies, but he's still the same ol' guy in many ways. And it definitely has the best sequel villain. "Part of you here, part of you there, and part of you waaaaay over there staining the wall *eye twitch*" Looks ridiculous on text, "crud, that guy's serious D: !" on film. Tai Lung was okay, but he just didn't feel as "developed" as Shen to me, although they both did have abandonment complexes...and foster parents who are shorter than them. Heck, even Po has a foster parent that's shorter than them, but Mr. Ping is definitely the most delightful of the bunch XD .


And yes, they are making a third. It's pretty much a given with the cliffhanger at the end of the second film.  

[Adder]

Happy Feet = Pebble and the Penguin. Odd penguin out gets separated from home and must get there to save the day and get the girl. I still like Pebble and the Penguin better than Happy Feet. Too much of an environmental message in HF for me and they SHOULD HAVE KEPT THE SEAGULL SCENE! Steve Irwin Seagull > Steve Irwin Elephant Seal!

One thing, George Miller first proposed ideas for Happy Feet before Don Bluth even thought of Pebble and the Penguin.

EDIT
Also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wild#Mada...ar_similarities

Madagascar was released one year before The Wild and recieved negative reviews because it copied the plot of Madagascar, including several characters' species/designs, themes and taglines.