Jack Black explained why he’s back in the Kung Fu Panda world for the first time since 2016’s Kung Fu Panda 3.
Black, the voice of Po the panda in the Kung Fu Panda movies and specials, passed the reins to Mick Wingert for two of the spinoff series. However, he decided to reclaim Po in the newest series, Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight. In a chat with Collider, Black credited his decision to the scope of the project, Rita Ora’s strong female character (Wandering Blade), and writer/producer Peter Hastings.
“Well, I got the call from Netflix and they were saying, we know you’ve only done the movies, but would you be interested in reprising your role in a series? They told me the idea of it and it just sounded intriguing because it was higher stakes and more of a global story than the original movies that just took place in China. This took place all over the world, with different cultures and different characters, and Rita Ora’s character, which is this strong woman character who kicks ass, but also has secrets and vulnerabilities. It just seemed like an awesome new adventure. Honestly, it just seemed like a lot of fun. I like Peter [Hastings], the director, and his vision for where it would go over the course of the series. It was a no brainer, really.”
Indeed, Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight is an epic global adventure that pairs Po with an English knight for all kinds of cross-cultural badassery.
Welcome Black back to Kung Fu Panda by streaming The Dragon Knight on Netflix today.