Jack Black is known for his roles in the Jumanji series, School of Rock, and Nacho Libre, but Kung Fu Panda stands out the most for him.
The “role of a lifetime”
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Black reflected on the animated franchise. “It has been the role of a lifetime,” he said.
To put that into perspective, the series premiered 15 years ago with the inaugural film. Black's son is now a teenager. Even Black confessed that it's “tough to get ‘cool dad' points” when they're teenagers.
The Kung Fu Panda franchise kicked off in 2008. Black voices Po, a panda bear who is destined to become the Dragon Warrior. The film was a big hit, grossing over $630 million at the box office. Three years later, a sequel was released that made over $660 million. A third film was released in 2016 and made $521 million.
Over eight years later, Kung Fu Panda 4 is being released. Black once again returns as Po as he's about to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace. In turn, he must find the new Dragon Warrior while he also faces off with The Chameleon (Viola Davis).
The cast includes some newcomers like Awkwafina, Ke Huy Quan, and the aforementioned Davis. The likes of Dustin Hoffman, James Hong, Bryan Cranston, and Ian McShane all return to reprise their respective roles.
Jack Black may cite the Kung Fu Panda franchise as the “role of a lifetime,” but he's had a lengthy career full of marquee roles. He got his start by starring in films like High Fidelity, Shallow Hal, and School of Rock. Black would also star in Tropic Thunder, King Kong, Goosebumps, Ice Age, Shark Tale, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
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