Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Kung Fu Panda 4!
Summary
- The Furious Five are notably absent in Kung Fu Panda 4, each on unique missions explained by Po.
- Po's final mission as Dragon Warrior brings a new character, Zhen, who becomes the new Dragon Warrior.
- The credits scene reunites Po and the Furious Five, hinting at their return in future sequels or a spinoff.
The Furious Five are largely missing from Kung Fu Panda movies since the beginning of the franchise. The five Masters of kung fu played vital roles in the original three movies as they helped train Po and work with him on various missions. This created an expectation that the Furious Five would be back in Kung Fu Panda 4.
The fourth film takes the franchise in a new direction, as Po (Jack Black) goes on his final mission as Dragon Warrior before he becomes the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace. This leads him to meet Zhen (Awkwafina), who becomes the new Dragon Warrior during Kung Fu Panda 4's ending after defeating The Chameleon (Viola Davis). The movie includes several familiar characters throughout, ranging from Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) to Tai Lung (Ian McShane). However, the Furious Five only have small cameos in the movie, raising questions about their futures in the franchise.
How Tai Lung Is Back From The Dead In Kung Fu Panda 4
Tai Lung returns in Kung Fu Panda 4 years after seemingly dying in the original movie, and this is exactly how he is back from the dead.
Where Each Furious Five Member Is During Kung Fu Panda 4
The fact that the Furious Five are not in Kung Fu Panda 4 is something that the movie establishes relatively early on. When Po is in the Valley of Peace, he is asked if his fellow Masters of kung fu will be ing him. This is when Po confirms that each Furious Five member is on a different mission that has taken them away. Each member gets a quick explanation for what they are doing to explain their absence from Kung Fu Panda 4.
Kung Fu Panda's New Trilogy Tease Makes 1 Kung Fu Panda 4 Character A Bigger Deal
It has been teased that Kung Fu Panda 4 might be the start of a new Kung Fu Panda trilogy, and that is a big deal for one of the characters.
The specific missions that each Furious Five member is on are sped through. Tigress is off in another part of the world fighting the Free Range Chicken Gang. Monkey is searching for the missing Macaques. Crane has become the King of the Crocodilians. Viper is bringing peace between the Cobras and Mongooses. Mantis seemingly got married and is trying not to get eaten by his bride. Each member of the Furious Five appears in Kung Fu Panda 4 as Po explains their missions, but that is the extent of their role.
Kung Fu Panda 4's Credits Reunite Po & The Furious Five
After not being around to help Po and Zhen fight The Chameleon, Kung Fu Panda 4's credits bring everyone back together. The scene shows Po beginning Zhen's training to become the new Dragon Warrior, and he enlists the help of Tigress, Monkey, Crane, Viper, and Mantis to do so. Each of the Masters takes Zhen through a different training sequence to help her improve her kung fu abilities. The appearance of the Furious Five in Kung Fu Panda 4's credits does not include any lines for the characters, so all the voice actors do not return.
The rather small role for the Furious Five characters breaks the mold of the previous Kung Fu Panda movies. They were the main ing characters and vital parts of Po's journey. The decision to leave them out of Kung Fu Panda 4 could have been seen as a sign that their time in the franchise was over. However, the credits reunion at least shows that Po and the Furious Five are still working together and that they will answer his call when he needs help.
Will The Furious Five Return In Kung Fu Panda 5 Or A Spinoff Movie?
The future of the Furious Five characters after Kung Fu Panda 4 is currently unconfirmed. But, their appearance in the credits could be a good sign that they will be back in some capacity. Since they helped Po train Zhen to be the new Dragon Warrior, there is a natural setup for the Furious Five to be in Kung Fu Panda 5. A fifth movie has not been announced at this point, but there have been teases that Kung Fu Panda 4 could start a new trilogy. The Furious Five would likely factor into future sequels in some fashion if the trilogy plans come to fruition.
The other option for DreamWorks is to make a Furious Five Kung Fu Panda spinoff movie. Kung Fu Panda 4 theoretically sets up a spinoff for each character, as those films could explore the missions mentioned. It would also be possible to unite Tigress, Monkey, Crane, Viper, and Mantis for an entirely different mission that becomes the basis for a spinoff movie. Considering the success DreamWorks has found with spinoffs from its other franchises, it is possible that the Furious Five's absence from Kung Fu Panda 4 was part of a plan for them to star in an feature.
