Netflix has commissioned a new “Kung Fu Panda” animated series with Jack Black returning to voice the main character, Po.
In the series, titled “Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight,” a mysterious pair of weasels set their sights on a collection of four powerful weapons. Po must leave his home to embark on a globe-trotting quest for redemption and justice that finds him partnered up with a no-nonsense English knight named Wandering Blade. Together, these two mismatched warriors set out on an epic adventure to find the magical weapons first and save the world from destruction — and they may even learn a thing or two from each other along the way.
Like all things in the “Kung Fu Panda” franchise, the new series hails from DreamWorks Animation. Peter Hastings and Shaunt Nigoghossian serve as executive producers on the series, with Chris Amick and Ben Mekler co-executive producing.
The series marks Black’s first time back as Po since the 2016 film “Kung Fu Panda 3.” He previously voiced the character in the first two films in the franchise, which were released in 2008 and 2011. In total, the three films have grossed over $1.8 billion at the global box office.
The franchise has also expanded to include a number of short films, video games, theme park attractions, and assorted merchandise. There have also been two other “Kung Fu Panda” animated shows to date. The first, “Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness” aired on Nickelodeon for three seasons. The second was titled “Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny” and aired on Amazon Prime for one season. Both shows saw Mick Wingert take over the role of Po.
