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Panda 3 Easter Shows the Humor Kung Fu

In 2016, one of the most successful animated franchises in the world returns with its biggest and newest comedy adventure yet, KUNG FU PANDA 3.

The Student Becomes the Teacher

Po has no bigger fans than the filmmakers who have brought him to life. Director Jennifer Yuh Nelson, who’s been with Po from the very beginning of his journey, notes: “The trait I love most about Po is his boundless enthusiasm. It’s a pleasure to spend time with Po, because he’s just so passionate about everything.”

At his core, says Yuh Nelson, Po is a “geek who makes good” – a trait to which she can relate. “I identify with his geekiness because I wasn’t exactly the hot cheerleader in high school,” she says with a laugh. “Po’s humility and enthusiasm have a nerd vibe, and I think that’s inspiring and aspirational for many people.

Clearly, Yuh Nelson identifies with Po and his journey, which in some ways mirrors her own. Just as Po transitions from student to teacher, Yuh Nelson made a big move with KUNG FU PANDA 2, on which she took the directorial reins after serving as head of story on the first picture, and as a story artist on other DreamWorks Animation films.

Po’s enthusiasm is contagious. Director Alessandro Carloni, another veteran of the trilogy, says: “In this film, Po must help others reach that same kind of epiphany and to embrace their unique qualities to become truly empowered.”

In some instances, Carloni admits to “taking a page from Po’s journey and personality, especially the character’s gusto. It can be such a positive force,” he explains. For example, “If one of our team members showed me something I loved, I didn’t just approve it and move on. I jumped around, giddy with enthusiasm. I welcome that ‘Po’ side of myself.”

Two Fathers-One Son

Making the transition from student to teacher isn’t the only upheaval in Po’s life. His long-lost biological father, Li Chan, has made his way to the Valley of Peace and to an emotional and hilarious reunion with Po. Acclaimed “Breaking Bad” star Bryan Cranston joins the franchise to lend his voice to Li.

In some ways, everything we’ve seen in the first two films was leading up to this event. The co-screenwriter Jonathan Aibel calls Po’s “uber-story. He’s always asking, ‘Who am I, and am I good enough,’ which is probably something that everyone asks at some point,” says Aibel, who along with his writing partner Glenn Berger, has penned all three KUNG FU PANDA films.

And what does Po’s dad look like? Think about who Po would be if the discipline of kung fu had never entered his life – and that’s Li. Po’s old man is a loud, exuberant panda always out for a good time, which usually includes eating or napping, or napping and eating.

Their reunion, in Po’s adoptive father, Mr. Ping’s dumpling establishment, is, well…so Po-like, rich with humor and emotion. At Mr. Ping’s restaurant, Li is breaking Po’s record for dumpling consumption – itself, a huge clue to their connection. Li tells Po that he’s looking for his son. Po, hilariously oblivious, says no, he hasn’t seen anyone like that. Meanwhile, everyone around them, grasping the obvious, is going, ‘Really?’

Of course Po and Li eventually do make the connection, and the newly-reunited father and son discover.

A threat from Another Realm

A different kind of father figure or mentor to Po, is Oogway (voiced by Randall Duk Kim), the ancient tortoise who in the films’ mythology, invented kung fu as a means for the defenseless to protect themselves. Though Oogway has moved on from our realm, he has left his kung fu legacy in the trusted hands of Shifu, Po and the Furious Five.

Oogway remains a calming but formidable presence in the Spirit Realm, but a long-ago battle with a warrior who betrayed him is now triggering calamitous events for everyone in the Valley of Peace, and beyond.

To convey Kai’s mix of supernatural super-villainy and humor, the filmmakers turned to J.K. Simmons, an Oscar® winner for his towering performance in 2014’s “Whiplash.” The pairing of Simmons and Kai was a huge creative boost for the KUNG FU PANDA 3 team.

In creating the new villain, Yuh Nelson says, “We wanted to kick things up a notch and explore the more supernatural aspects of chi, the control of which is actually a higher level of kung fu.” The chi-stealing effect stems from what Visual Effects Supervisor Mark Edwards calls a “circle theme.

Kai joins the KUNG FU PANDA family of villains, whose other members include the first film’s Tai Lung (Ian McShane), a brute who could punch his way out of a mountain; and Lord Shen (Gary Oldman), an unimposing looking peacock who possesses incredible fighting skills, speed and weaponry, including a massive cannon.

Coming Full Circle

In addition to the familiar environs of the Valley of Peace, KUNG FU PANDA 3 transports us to new locations and lands, both terrestrial and otherworldly, including the Panda Village. To create these worlds with an unprecedented degree of detail, the filmmakers employed cutting-edge technology, including new animation software, enhanced rendering techniques and stereo, changes in fur development, and new lighting software; as well as “old-school” endeavors, such as location scouting.

In all, KUNG FU PANDA 3 took over 60 million hours of rendering – the process of generating an image from 2D or 3D models, by means of computer programs – compared with 20 million for the first film and 50 million for the second.

Melissa Cobb notes all these advances were in the service of the story and characters.

A key stop was King Chen Mountain, the birthplace of Taoism and a natural habitat for pandas. When Po and Li arrive in the Panda Village, the mist that shrouds the area clears, and you see this really magical place. That was pretty much our experience of climbing the mountain.

Production designer Raymond Zibach, who through all three pictures has been responsible for everything visual, including character design, location design, color, lighting and artwork, says that for KUNG FU PANDA 3 he wanted to return to what he calls “legendary environments,” including the epic, alpine Panda Village and the infinite wonders of the Spirit Realm.

The Spirit Realm is an alternate reality with no concept of time, where the battle between good and evil unfolds. It is where Po, with help from the newly minted kung fu pandas in the Panda Village, must take down Kai in the ultimate KUNG FU PANDA battle royale.

The Spirit Realm’s otherworldly feel is further enhanced by “Scroll-Vision,” a blend of 2D and 3D animation inspired by an ancient Chinese scroll, and which resembles an animated painting. “This is something we haven’t seen before – employing the graphic nature of 2D stylized material but bring it into a CG, 3D environment,” says Yuh Nelson.

Zibach elaborates on the actual scroll, entitled “Along the River During the Qingining Festival,” that inspired this new cinematic technique. “It’s the Mona Lisa of China – the country’s most famous work of art. It’s as long as a room. You walk along this scroll and observe a procession of people going to a festival. So we used that as an inspiration to tell an even bigger story, and all the shots flow from right to left, as you would when reading the scroll. The shots look like they’re painted, and there’s hand-drawn animation with after-affects. It looks like a moving painting,” as it tells the back-story of Oogway and Kai.

Synopsis

When Po's long-lost panda father suddenly reappears, the reunited duo travels to a secret panda paradise to meet scores of hilarious new panda characters. But when the supernatural villain Kai begins to sweep across China defeating all the kung fu masters, Po must do the impossible-learn to train a village full of his fun-loving, clumsy brethren to become the ultimate band of Kung Fu Pandas!