Is Kung Fu Panda 4 The End Of Po’s Story?

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Kung Fu Panda 4!

Kung Fu Panda 4 acts as a passing of the torch for the franchise, raising questions about whether it is the end of Po’s story. Jack Black has been at the center of the Kung Fu Panda movie franchise from the very beginning, as he voiced Po in the original trilogy and TV shows. It was thanks to his prominent role as the Dragon Warrior that Po became the face of a massively successful franchise for DreamWorks. Kung Fu Panda 4 became an opportunity to continue his story as he battles The Chameleon and finds a new Dragon Warrior.

It is due to the introduction of a new character to replace Po as the Dragon Warrior that questions arose about the panda’s future even before Kung Fu Panda 4‘s ending was seen. Now that the movie is out, there is a better understanding of what exactly lies ahead for Po in the franchise. The entire basis of Kung Fu Panda 4‘s story is about closing a chapter in Po’s life. He’s far from the young, untrained panda that audiences met in the first movie. That directly connects to Po’s future after Kung Fu Panda 4.

Kung Fu Panda 4 Is The End Of Po’s Story As Dragon Warrior, But He Will Return

It is quite clear that Kung Fu Panda 4 is the end of Po’s time being the Dragon Warrior. He occupied that role for the original movies, but Po calls his mission to stop The Chameleon his “one last Dragon Warrior adventure” as he sets off. The movie ending with Zhen officially becoming his replacement reinforces the idea that Po is no longer the Dragon Warrior and that this part of his story is over. This is because he has now been promoted to the role of Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace.

The good news is that Po not being the Dragon Warrior anymore does not mean his time with the franchise is over. Kung Fu Panda 4‘s co-director Stephanie Ma-Stine told Variety, “This is definitely not the end of Po’s story.” This confirms that Po will return in an as-of-yet-unannounced new Kung Fu Panda movie. This alleviates any concerns that Kung Fu Panda 4 could be the last time that audiences see Po and that Zhen was going to completely replace him. She might be the Dragon Warrior now, but that clearly does not mean Po’s story is over.

Kung Fu Panda 4’s Ending Sets Up Po’s New Role In The Franchise

Po accepting his place as the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace sets up how he can return. Kung Fu Panda 4‘s credits showed the beginning of him training her to be the Dragon Warrior with the help of the Furious Five. Even if Zhen becomes the new main character, Po can still be featured as her mentor. This paves the way for Po to return in a fifth film in a major supporting role just like his mentors, Master Oogway and Master Shifu, had in previous movies.

There is also the possibility that Kung Fu Panda 5‘s story will more heavily revolve around Po and the challenges he faces as the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace. Oogway and Shifu never received central roles in the earlier installments, but there should be room to expand the spiritual and mystical side of the franchise through Po’s new position. This could include a greater exploration of the Spirit Realm, possibly allowing Tai Lung to return again. The franchise could even build on the tease in Kung Fu Panda 4 that Po fought demons and demigods before.

Po’s Return Is Good For Kung Fu Panda 5 & New Trilogy Plans

Knowing that Kung Fu Panda 4 is not the end of Po’s journey in the franchise is great news, especially for DreamWorks. It was previously teased that a new trilogy of Kung Fu Panda movies could be made. DreamWorks has yet to officially announce that Kung Fu Panda 5 or Kung Fu Panda 6 are happening, but the confirmation that Po’s story is not over signals that this will happen before too long. The fact that Kung Fu Panda 4‘s box office is performing at near franchise record levels could speed up the announcement.

The continued popularity of Po and the recognizability of an actor like Jack Black can help the new Kung Fu Panda trilogy succeed. Ditching him completely would risk alienating viewers who watch this franchise for Po’s adventures. Even if his title has changed and his adventures look different, Po is still the biggest selling point behind the franchise. Kung Fu Panda 4‘s success proves audiences are not tired of him, so DreamWorks’ plans to keep Po involved on some level in future installments is great.