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Easter eggs
Hidden details in every movie and series: 33 in total. Tap a poster to see its eggs. Titles you haven't marked as seen stay locked so nothing gets spoiled.
- Referencenod to comics or other movies
- Cameoa familiar face shows up
- Setupplanted now, pays off later
- Behind the scenesproduction trivia
- Behind the scenesA shadow-puppet opening
Po's dream at the start is hand-drawn in the style of Chinese shadow puppetry. The sequence was directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson, who went on to direct the second and third movies.
source ↗ - Behind the scenesPo used to be a jerk
Producer Melissa Cobb says Po started out "more of a jerk". The character changed once the team heard Jack Black.
source ↗ - Behind the scenesIt was meant to be a spoof
The original idea was a kung fu spoof. Director John Stevenson pushed for a character-driven wuxia comedy instead, and the team spent years studying Chinese painting, architecture and film.
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- Behind the scenesPandamonium
Before it became Kung Fu Panda 2, the sequel had other working titles: first Pandamonium, then Kaboom of Doom.
source ↗ - Behind the scenesA real panda cub
The crew visited Chengdu, panda country, and held a month-old cub named A Bao. That gave them baby Po for the flashbacks, plus Sichuan dishes like mapo tofu.
source ↗ - CameoCharlie Kaufman weighed in
The Being John Malkovich writer consulted on the script early on, alongside the first movie's writers.
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- Behind the scenesA third made in China
It was co-produced with Shanghai's Oriental DreamWorks. A third of the movie was made in China, the first time a major American animated feature was co-produced with a Chinese company.
source ↗ - CameoVoice swaps
J. K. Simmons took over Kai after Mads Mikkelsen's character was rewritten. Kate Hudson replaced Rebel Wilson as Mei Mei, and finished scenes were reanimated.
source ↗ - Behind the scenesThe first supernatural villain
Kai is the series' first supernatural villain. The director put it simply: Tai Lung was the brawler, Shen was the smart one, so the next one had to be bigger and scarier.
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- CameoMrBeast is Panda Pig
YouTuber MrBeast has a cameo as Panda Pig, a pig painted black and white who's one of the candidates for Dragon Warrior.
source ↗ - Behind the scenes8,130 controls
The Chameleon was the most complex character DreamWorks had ever animated, with 8,130 controls for the animators.
source ↗ - ReferenceTenacious D covers Britney
The end credits play Tenacious D's cover of Britney Spears' "...Baby One More Time". Tenacious D is Jack Black's band.
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- Behind the scenesHand-drawn again
The Five's backstories are traditional 2D animation, like the movie's opening. Reel FX handled the CG parts and Film Roman the hand-drawn ones.
source ↗ - CameoJackie Chan's son
Young Monkey is voiced by Jaycee Chan, Jackie Chan's son. Jolie, Liu, Chan and Rogen didn't return since their characters appear as kids.
source ↗ - Behind the scenesIt came on the DVD
The short came on a bonus disc of the first movie's deluxe DVD in 2008. NBC aired it in February 2009.
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- Behind the scenesA TV special
It premiered on NBC on November 24, 2010, and drew 5.9 million viewers on its first airing. Tim Johnson directed.
source ↗ - CameoAlmost the whole cast
Unlike the shorts, nearly the whole movie cast returns: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, David Cross, Lucy Liu and James Hong.
source ↗ - Behind the scenesAnother name abroad
In Australia and the UK, the special came out as Kung Fu Panda: Po's Winter Wonderland. It was later reissued on DVD with other DreamWorks holiday specials like Shrek the Halls.
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- Behind the scenes17 hand-drawn minutes
Most of the short is traditional animation: 17 minutes made by Duncan Studio. It came out as a bonus on the Kung Fu Panda 2 DVD in December 2011.
source ↗ - CameoWho came back and who didn't
Dennis Haysbert returns as Master Ox. Jean-Claude Van Damme and Victor Garber, who voiced Croc and Rhino in the movie, did not.
source ↗ - SetupOogway before it all
Look at who brings the three masters together: a younger Oogway. He's the one who talks them into fighting for something bigger than money and fame.
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- Behind the scenesReleased with the movies
The short came out digitally in 2015, then on the 2016 Blu-ray and DVD reissues of the first two movies. It's also on the first movie's 4K release from 2024.
source ↗ - CameoVoices from the show
Kari Wahlgren and James Sie voice Tigress and Monkey in place of Angelina Jolie and Jackie Chan. They're the same voices from Legends of Awesomeness.
source ↗ - SetupPo's list
Watch the list young Po writes: cleaner, comedian, dancer, doctor. The mix-up sends Tigress to Crane, Monkey, Viper and Mantis.
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- Behind the scenesThe bridge between 1 and 2
The show is set between the first two movies. Developer Peter Hastings joked that Kung Fu Panda 2 is like one of their episodes, only very long, super-deluxe and in 3D.
source ↗ - CameoPo with another voice
Po is voiced by Mick Wingert, not Jack Black. From the movie cast, only Lucy Liu (Viper) and James Hong (Mr. Ping) came back.
source ↗ - Behind the scenesFrom Nickelodeon to Nicktoons
The series premiered on Nickelodeon in September 2011. The last episodes didn't air until 2016, on Nicktoons.
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- ReferenceThe Four Symbols
The kids' powers come from four constellation warriors: Blue Dragon, Black Tortoise, White Tiger and Red Phoenix. They're the Four Symbols of Chinese mythology.
source ↗ - Behind the scenesIn two parts
The show came out on Prime Video in two parts: the first in November 2018, the second in July 2019.
source ↗ - CameoMick Wingert again
Mick Wingert, Po's voice in Legends of Awesomeness, voices the panda again.
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- CameoJack Black is back
It's the first series where Jack Black voices Po. He was also an executive producer.
source ↗ - CameoRita Ora is the knight
Singer Rita Ora voices Luthera, the Wandering Blade, an English knight who becomes Po's partner.
source ↗ - Behind the scenesEpisodes with a different look
The sets reuse assets from The Paws of Destiny, but some episodes get their own 2D look: one is drawn like a comic book, another like a British lithograph.
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