DreamWorks said that Kung Fu Panda 3, to be simultaneously released in China and the United States on Jan 29 (usually Hollywood tentpoles are released days or weeks later in the mainland), will have two versions. Alongside the regular English edition, there will be a Chinese edition.
The Chinese version will not only feature the voices homegrown stars, but also adjust the movements of the characters' lips to make it look like they are speaking in Chinese, says Oscar-nominated director Jennifer Yuh, who worked as the head of the story for Kung Fu Panda and took the directorial job from the second film.
Still set in ancient China, the third film is about Po's reunion with his long-lost father and a new mission to defeat an evil ox warrior known as Kai.
A 26-minute trailer, covering the English and the Chinese versions, was released last week. Viewers say they are impressed by the humor and Chinese-style landscapes.
In the film, when Po, guided by his biological father, walks into an isolated panda village, the heavy smog dissipates and verdant mountains appear.
Yuh says that the village is inspired by Sichuan's picturesque Qingcheng Mountain, one of the most famed landmarks for Taoist martial arts practitioners in Chinese wuxia (武侠: supernatural Chinese fung fu and heroism) books.
The South Korean American female auteur also visited a giant panda research base in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province. She incorporates real panda behavior in the movie. Research on Chinese culture and animal characteristics formed a significant part of work for the crew.
Mark Osborne, director of the original Kung Fu Panda and now known to Chinese audiences for the animation flick, The Little Prince, told China Daily in an e-mail: "I think what makes Po engaging is that he represents a common spirit within us all ... that is the power of his character. I believe that we can all see ourselves in him in some way," he says.
Po's Chinese voice actor is Huang Lei, and the Chinese version also features the voices of kung fu star Jackie Chan and Taiwan top singer Jay Chow.
Source: chinadaily.com.cn
