Jack Black, Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake Tease ‘Kung Fu Panda’ and ‘Trolls’ Sequels

Dreamworks Animation got some help from Jack Black, Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake to highlight its upcoming slate, including Trolls Band Together — a new movie from its Trolls franchise set to open Nov. 17 — and Kung Fu Panda 4, slated for a March 8, 2024 release.

Jack Black — the voice of panda Po — got a hero’s welcome as he took the stage to introduce Kung Fu Panda 4. He described the story for the spring 2024 release via a comedic and dramatic monologue: “Po faces his biggest challenge ever. Will he survive?”

More from The Hollywood Reporter

• 'The Exorcist: Believer' Conjures First Trailer at CinemaCon

• Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Banks Lead Illumination's 'Migration' Voice Cast

• Universal Movie Chief Donna Langley Celebrates 'Super Mario Bros.,' 'Oppenheimer' at CinemaCon

Black shared that Po is set to become the spiritual leader of his Valley of Peace, but also needs a succession plan for his role as the chosen Dragon Warrior. In the story, he also will train a new kung fu practitioner and meets a villain called the Chameleon who can summon villains from the past. “Po has to defeat every one of them,” the star promised.

Mike Mitchell (The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, Trolls, Shrek Forever) is set to direct Kung Fu Panda 4. Stephanie Ma Stine (a story artist on How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World) was named co-director and Rebecca Huntley (The Bad Guys) is set to produce.

Colorful new footage from Trolls Band Together was introduced by Kendrick, who returns as the voice of Poppy, and Timberlake, who is back as Branch. They took the stage to “Can’t Stop the Feeling” from Trolls World Tour. “That song follows me everywhere,” quipped Timberlake.

Kendrick teased that in this “weirder and wilder” third movie in the franchise, Poppy and Branch are “out of the friend zone at last,” and Poppy learns that Branch was once part of boy band BroZone. “That’s something you know a thing or two about, JT. It feels a little in sync with your life,” she quipped to applause. Five new songs will be introduced in the film.

“Dreamworks believes in making movies for theaters; we value the collective viewing experience,” DWA president Margie Cohn said, adding that the studio is “expanding exciting franchises and also introducing new originals. Everyone loves a franchise but each generation wants an original to be its own.”

To that point, Cohn introduced a sneak peek at unfinished footage from Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken, ahead of its June world premiere at Annecy. Cohn described it as an intergeneration story with the potential to be the “girl power movie of the summer.”

Helmed by Oscar-nominated director Kirk DeMicco (The Croods), the story follows a shy teenager (Lana Condor), who in the clip panics as she learns from her grandmother (voiced by Jane Fonda) that she comes from a family of legendary sea krakens.

Ruby Gillman makes it world premiere June 15 at the Annecy International Animation Festival ahead of its June 30 theatrical release.

Best of The Hollywood Reporter

• 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie': See Who Voices the Beloved Characters

• Hollywood Reporter Critics Pick the 50 Best Films of the 21st Century (So Far)

• Hollywood Flashback: 'Soylent Green' Depicted an Overpopulated Planet With a Dark Secret

Click here to read the full article.