Jack Black as a lovable food-obsessed panda, Angelina Jolie as a kung-fu kicking tiger—with this alone, it’s no wonder the Kung-Fu Panda and its sequel have grossed over a billion dollars worldwide. Dreamworks Animation has had a major success with the Shrek series. And now that the franchise of the reformed green ogre has come to end with Shrek Forever After, the studio set their sites in developing the tale of Black’s character Po and his quest to become a great kung-fu master with the aide of the Furious Five. Jeffrey Katzenberg, Dreamwork’s CEO, said that Kung-Fu Panda will have six installments with the third set for release in 2015.
Directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson, Kung-Fu Panda 3 will most likely focus on Po reuniting with his parents (this was alluded to in the last scene of the sequel). The film also marks the first planned co-production with China-based Oriental Dreamworks. And as Deadline Hollywood reported this week, Bryan Cranston and Rebel Wilson have signed on to lend their voice talents to the cast. Known for comedic turns in Bridesmaids and Fever Pitch, Wilson will make a perfect—and hilarious—love interest for Po. With all these factors in place, Kung Fu Panda 3 has its sights set on surpassing Shrek.