(WARNING: The following images and descriptions may contain SPOILERS for Kung Fu Panda 3.)
It won’t be long before the marketing campaign for DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 3 springs into motion with the release of a new trailer and/or new images and other promotional materials. So, what better way to get prepped for all that fun stuff than with a sneak peek at the film’s ‘art of’ book!
Set to come out on December 15, The Art of Kung Fu Panda 3 looks to do what you’d expect any good ‘art of’ book to do: give a detailed, behind-the-scenes look at the production and evolution of the film. It include everything from the first storyboards and story ideas, all the way to the finishing touches in post-production and straight onto theater screens.
Written by industry veteran Tracey Miller-Zarneke (who authored the ‘art of’ books for Kung Fu Panda 1 and 2) and listed as having a forward by Rebel Wilson (although a recent development might change that), the pages featured in Amazon’s preview give us not only more of the amazing concept art, but also more plot-related details concerning the character of Po’s dad, Li Shan (Bryan Cranston).
Below is the opening illustration for “Part 1” of the book (“Characters”):
The other illustration is a smorgasbord of various in-universe illustrations depicting Po as a heroic figure (among other things):
Here we see the Peach Grove, the setting where it appears that Po (and the audience) first meet the character Mei Mei (Kate Hudson):
This image features concept art of of Li Shan. We get to know more about his character and the motivations that will drive him throughout the movie:
From producer Melissa Cobb:
“With Li, there is something underneath the big, broad, fun exterior, making him emotionally deeper-which shows another similarity between him and Po. Sure, he didn’t just barge in to take back his son. That would make him unlikable. Instead he channels something along the lines of John Candy‘s character in ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’-a charming gregarious guy who means well.”
From co-director Jennifer Yuh Nelson:
“Li embodies what Po might have become had he not been swept up into the world of Kung Fu . He’s the kind of guy you’d like to hang out with at a party, living the pandas’ easygoing way of life, having fun whenever possible. But must like Po, Li has deeper emotional levels as well. He blames himself for losing his family all those years ago. He doesn’t believe in himself, his confidence took a severe hit and only through reuniting with Po can he get over that sense of guilt in realizing that Po is alive because of what he as a father had to do way back then.”
Finally, from head of story Philip Craven:
“Although this seems like a heavy story to tell, the interplay of Po and Li provides great comedy, as does that between two dads. We really want to see the fathers bond, sense ultimately they both love Po more than themselves”
The Art of Kung Fu Panda 3 will arrive in bookstores on December 15. You can pre-order your copy from Amazon right now.
Kung Fu Panda 3 is directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson and Alessandro Carloni from a screenplay by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger. The film features the voice talents of Jack Black (Po), Angelina Jolie (Tigress), Dustin Hoffman (Master Shifu), Lucy Liu (Viper), Seth Rogen (Mantis), Jackie Chan (Monkey), David Cross (Crane), James Hong (Mr. Ping), and Randall Duk Kim as Master Oogway. New to the cast are Kate Hudson as Mei Mei, Bryan Cranston as Li, and J.K.Simmons as Kai.
Kung Fu Panda 3 lands in theaters on January 29, 2016.
What do you think? Will you buy The Art of Kung Fu Panda 3?
Edited by: Hannah Wilkes
