May 15 2009 Sanctity of 'Kung Fu Panda' Has Been Compromised!
Nickelodeon is making it a TV show! From THR:
Nickelodeon has ordered "Kung Fu Panda: The Series," a new CG-animated comedy based on last year's boxoffice hit.The kids network has ordered 26 episodes of the series, Nick's second co-production with DreamWorks Animation SKG. The two companies also partnered on "The Penguins of Madagascar," which premiered March 28 on Nick and ranked as the most-watched series premiere in the network's history (6.1 million viewers). Since then, "Penguins" has become the second most-popular program among kids 6-11 on television, behind only "SpongeBob SquarePants."
I can think of (look up) over a hundred examples of films being turned into TV series in the past--sometimes with brilliant results (M*A*S*H), other times not (there was a Ferris Bueller series?). So let's just say "at least it's not a Shrek," OK?
Aug 14 2008 'Madgascar', 'Kung Fu Panda' Will Keep Happening
Dreamworks has announced they have plans for at least one more Madagascar and probably another Kung Fu Panda, because that would be easier than inventing more animals-with-celebrity-voices as characters:
DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg expects at least one additional "Madagascar" sequel, the executive said Wednesday during a preview of the upcoming "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa."The animation studio also has begun talks aimed at creating a sequel to its summer hit "Kung Fu Panda."
Calling ["Escape 2 Africa"] the "second chapter in one story," Katzenberg said, "there is at least one more chapter. We ultimately want to see the characters make it back to New York."
I think what he means is, "We still have the rights to Reel 2 Real's I Like to Move It, and we're confident having some African animals sing along with it will continue to sell for reasons even we aren't entirely sure of," but nice try.
Jul 7 2008 Will Smith Shows He's Still Got It ('It' Being the Ability to Draw Crowds with Mediocrity)
It's weekend box office result time!
1. Hancock - In his version of a fireworks display, Will Smith dropped by once again this July 4th to deliver some primal entertainment to the waiting masses that ultimately left them saying, "Is that it?" ($66 million weekend, $107 million since Wednesday.)
2. WALL-E - $33.4 million as audiences flocked to see the riveting trailer to Fly Me to the Moon.
3. Wanted - $20.6 million for the Jolie-Pitt baby fund!!! (James McAvoy and Common probably also get a cut.)
4. Get Smart - A $11.1 million gross, finally earning back all the money spent on covertly adding mandarin orange artificial flavoring to Sierra Mist.
5. Kung Fu Panda - $7.5 million for the Jolie-Pitt baby fund!!! (Jack Black and computers probably also get a cut.)
Jun 26 2008 'Kung Fu Panda 2' Being Made, Will Probably be Called 'Fu 2' or Something
Alright. Since it's now received many glowing reviews and ended up with a respectable 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, maybe I was wrong about Kung Fu Panda. While I'll still never see it, perhaps it isn't a black & white turd thrown at cinema walls with the hope that the familiar voices of celebrities will pacify you until the animated poop can streak its way down into a waiting DVD case. (I never actually said this, but I thought it.) But a sequel!? From the Animation Guild blog:
But down on the lower levels, artists are working. A story crew has started early work in Kung Fu Panda, the Sequel, even while animators are hand-drawing new material for the DVD of Kung Fu Panda, the original.
This is definitely going to be a black & white turd thrown at cinema walls with the hope that the familiar voices of celebrities will pacify you until the animated poop can streak its way down into a waiting DVD case.
Jun 23 2008 Weekend Box Office: 'Get Smart' Hopefully Destroyed Chances of Another 'Austin Powers'
1. Get Smart - $39.2 million, because $12 had to be spent on something new, and the newer iPods cost more than $12, and, give me a break, The Love Guru?
2. Kung Fu Panda - Another $21.7 million, thanks largely to Jack Black's fearless delivery of such lines as, "Who da man? Pan-da man!" I'm assuming that was a line in the movie.
3. The Incredible Hulk - Though it earned less than Ang Lee's Hulk in its opening weekend, the film's second weekend has fared better, grossing $21.6 million and inciting cries for director Louis Leterrier to make The Incredible Ice Storm.
4. The Love Guru - A sad, $14 million showing left Mike Myers wishing he could go back in time to write in a joke about how the ridiculously small audiences are sort of similar to how Verne Troyer is also very small. Oh well--save it for Guru 2!
5. The Happening - Still somehow clinging to the top five with another $10 million. I blame trees.
Jun 16 2008 'Incredible Hulk' Made Money Last Weekend
1. The Incredible Hulk - Looks like the Hulk wasn't the only thing that was big and green this weekend, and I'm not talking envy! Greenbacks! American dollars! Cinema theatre profits to the tune of $54.5 million! Sorry, Kermit, looks like it is easy being green! (You should read this as if you're an announcer from the '20s.)
2. Kung Fu Panda - The formula of celebrity vocal chords + anodyne, computer-generated comedy continues to prove itself, earning another $34.3 million
3. The Happening - More like the Not Happening! Assuming we consider "happening" to be making more money than other movies. ($30.5 million)
4. You Don't Mess with the Zohan - A 57% drop to $16.4 million as moviegoers decide to wait for the unrated Zohaniest edition, with new, never-before-heard accents.
5. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - $13.5 million, but it turns out all the ticket buyers were aliens!
Jun 9 2008 'Kung Fu Panda' Messes with 'Zohan', Thus Winning Box Office
1. Kung Fu Panda - That this is both making a lot of money and getting pretty decent reviews confuses and angers me. ($60 million.)
2. You Don't Mess with the Zohan - The second-place, $40 million gross could have been much higher had Zohan opened last week, before Sandler's remaining fan base graduated middle school.
3. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - The addition of another $22.8 million brings Indiana Jones to a total gross of $253,026,000. So yeah, George Lucas will order the deluxe veggie burger.
4. Sex and the City - $21.3 million and untold gallons of estrogen.
5. The Strangers - $9.2 million, easily topping competing horror movies The Loose Acquaintances and Let's Get Out of Here: I Think I Met That Dude at a Party, But I Really Don't Want to Talk to Him Again.
May 9 2008 Ugh, New 'Kung Fu Panda' Trailer
The best trailer for WALL-E yet.
Kung Fu Panda Trailer 2 [Yahoo!]
Feb 12 2008 'Kung Fu Panda' Trailer is Big, Clumsy
Like pretty much all of Dreamworks Animation's efforts, Kung Fu Panda must have began with the great idea of getting big name voice cast to take on the roles of goofy animated animals. They succeeded in this noble effort, getting Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, and Angelina Jolie to star, but it seems like that's all there is to it.
Outside of hearing stars' disembodied voices, the film relies entirely on the premise that it's hilarious how fat and clumsy this schlub is. It might be moderately funny the first time, but how many times can you watch a cartoon panda fall over and laugh? I hope your answer is at least seven times, twice in slow motion, because that's pretty much all the content you're going to find here.
I watched this thing several times, and I've determined it's impossible not to roll your eyes when "Kung Fu Fighting" starts playing. And remember the end of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (and Turtles II: Secret of the Ooze), when Master Splinter finally breaks his solemn facade to give the audience a long-awaited "cowabunga"? Well, I don't want to ruin anything, but get ready to laugh--again!
Oct 29 2007 'Kung Fu Panda' Trailer Panders Fast as Lightning
It looks like Dreamworks is already sending out their cease and desists, but for the time being, you can check out the teaser trailer to their latest CGI masterpiece, Kung Fu Panda (AKA Shrek the Panda) at /Film.
I never understand why they forcibly remove the free advertising they're getting. It's like they don't want us to see how they got the lead voice actor, Jack Black, to ham it up in live-action antics, like Seinfeld with Bee Movie only even more patronizing. Or how they cleverly found a little-known Kung Fu-themed song, "Kung Fu Fighting," to subtlely broadcast that, indeed, this movie does involve Kung Fu.
Kung Fu Panda Teaser Trailer [/Film]
Oct 15 2007 AM Poster Post: 'Kung Fu Panda' Requires Awesome Preparation
All reasonable logic tells me that "Prepare for awesomeness" must, in some way that I'm missing, relate to Kung Fu or pandas, but I have no idea how. It has to, right? Because it's insane if the best tagline they could come up with is not in any way related to the movie, outside of calling it awesome. It's like, "Toy Story: This movie f***ing rules." "Shrek: This thing's gonna knock you on your ass." "Cars: A real goddamner of a flick."
I'm also confused by the inclusion of such blatant skid marks.
Kung Fu Panda Poster [IMPA]
Jun 20 2007 Mattel Lands Rights to Kung Fu Panda, Other Stereotypes
Ling-Ling taught himself martial arts after hearing Ed Norton once quip, "I wanted to put a bullet in the head of every Panda who wouldn't screw to save its species."
Toy maker Mattel ("They're not dolls mom, they're action figures!") has landed the licensing rights to Kung Fu Panda. The acquisition fits in well with Mattel's new line of Asian stereotype toys that also includes Karate Math Whiz, Panty Sniffing Businessman, and Chopstick the Slow Driver.
