History Trivia / KungFuPanda

* LifeImitates Art: Creator/DustinHoffman (Shifu) tutored Creator/JackBlack (Po) on acting during production.

* ProductionNickname: The broken chunk of wood that Po picks up as a souvenir of Tigress' "awesomeness" was deemed "the love chunk" by the layout department.

* LifeImitatesArt: Creator/DustinHoffman (Shifu) tutored Creator/JackBlack (Po) on acting during production.

* ProductionNickname: The broken chunk of wood that Po picks up as a souvenir of Tigress' "awesomeness" was deemed "the
love chunk" by the layout department.

* TheOtherDarrin: In video games, spin-off TV series, and commercials, this is usually the case. For instance, Mick Wingert does the voice of Po whenever Creator/JackBlack is too busy - except for one video game where Eric Loomis did it. Both of them, by the way, do very good impressions of Jack.

* ImageSource:
** TeamChef
** UsedToBeASweetKid
** VegetarianCarnivore
** WiseOldTurtle

* QuoteSource: AbsurdCuttingPower

** Creator/JackBlack, Creator/LucyLiu, Creator/AngelinaJolie, Creator/JackieChan, Creator/DustinHoffman, Creator/SethRogen, Creator/DavidCross, Creator/IanMcShane and Creator/MichaelClarkeDuncan are either primary focus characters or have significant roles in the film.

** In earlier story treatments, Shifu was supposed to be Po's adoptive father. This is why he was designed as a red panda.

* CharacterSpecificPages:
** [[Characters/KungFuPandaMasterPoPing Po]]

* DoingItForTheArt: The first reaction of the producers at hearing from the animators that they didn't know how to do the rope bridge fight was encouragement; that meant that ''nobody'' had done it before and from that challenge, one of animation's wildest action sequences was created.

** [[Characters/KungFuPandaMasterTigress Tigress]]

** DreamWorksFace (bottom-right; poster)

** Tai Lung was meant to lead a whole army in addition to the Wu Sisters called the Lang Shadow Army composed of legions of wolves, gorillas, crocodiles and oxes. They were all cut to give Tai Lung more moments to shine on his own and were reworked for the videogame adaptation, and then reworked into Shen's army for the sequel with the croc and ox bandits' design being used as the base for Master Croc's and Ox's own designs.

* TheOtherDarrin: In video games, spin-off TV series, and commercials, this is usually the case. For instance, Mick Wingert does the voice of Po whenever Jack Black is too busy - except for one video game where Eric Loomis did it. Both of them, by the way, do very good impressions of Jack.

* ActorInspiredHeroism: In an early version of the script, Po was intended to be something of a ParodySue, expecting the Furious Five to love him and adore him as much as he liked them. Apparently, Jack Black intervened because he realized how unlikable this made the character, and urged the writers to change Po to being insecure and well aware of his own flaws.

** Creator/JackBlack, Creator/LucyLiu, Creator/AngelinaJolie, Creator/JackieChan, Creator/DustinHoffman, Creator/SethRogen, Creator/DavidCross and Creator/MichaelClarkeDuncan are either primary focus characters or have significant roles in the film.

* DuelingMovies: The third installment dueled the ill-fated ''WesternAnimation/NormOfTheNorth'' at the box office in 2016 thanks to that film having a similar story. ''Kung Fu Panda 3'' blew that one away. It later went on to face the real challenger, Disney's ''WesternAnimation/{{Zootopia}}'' (but not at the box office); that film uses anthropomorphic characters and a character voiced by J.K. Simmons as well.

** [[Film/CharliesAngels Lucy]] [[Film/KillBill Liu]] as sweet-natured, kindly Viper.
** And James Hong as an affectionate, dorky doting foster father, considering his animated roles in ''WesternAnimation/{{Mulan}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'' along with his StarMakingRole in ''Film/BigTroubleInLittleChina'' were as major [[{{Jerkass}} Jerkasses]] (evil wizard/sorcerer in ''Big Trouble'' and ''JCA'', the latter of which had him abusive to his underlings, and as a misogynist advisor in ''Mulan'').

** Mr. Ping was going to be Po's stern boss (which ironically would have fit voice James Hong's [[Film/BigTroubleInLittleChina three]] [[WesternAnimation/{{Mulan}} previous]] [[WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures roles]] as a Mean Character) before one of the storyboard artists thought it would be funnier if he was Po's doting father instead.

** AwesomenessIsAForce

* CreatorsFavorite: Jack Black has commented on his voice work as Po being his favorite role out of everything he's done.

* PlayingGertrude: Creator/DustinHoffman as Shifu, the foster father of Tai Lung, voiced by Creator/IanMcshane. In real life, Hoffman is only ''five'' years older than Mcshane.
* RealLifeRelative: The bunny during the dream opening of the film who calls Po attractive is voiced by Jack Black's wife, Tanya Haden.

* ThanksgivingEpisode: Po became a Macy's UsefulNotes/ThanksgivingDay Parade balloon in 2010.

** In an early version of the movie's script, Po was intended to be something of a ParodySue, expecting the Furious Five to love him and adore him as much as he liked them. Apparently, Jack Black intervened because he realized how unlikable this made the character, and urged the writers to change Po to being insecure and well aware of his own flaws.

** And James Hong as an affectionate, {{Adorkable}} doting foster father, considering his animated roles in ''WesternAnimation/{{Mulan}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'' along with his StarMakingRole in ''Film/BigTroubleInLittleChina'' were as major [[{{Jerkass}} Jerkasses]] (evil wizard/sorcerer in ''Big Trouble'' and ''JCA'', the latter of which had him abusive to his underlings, and as a misogynist advisor in ''Mulan'').

* ShipMates: The franchise's promotional artwork along with their interactions where Tigress acts like a tsundere archetype seems to imply that the company have a firm desire to couple Po and Tigress together.

* DuelingMovies: The third installment dueled the ill-fated ''WesternAnimation/NormOfTheNorth'' at the box office in 2016 thanks to that film having a similar story. ''Kung Fu Panda 3'' blew that one away. It later went on to face the real challenger, Disney's ''Disney/{{Zootopia}}'' (but not at the box office); that film uses anthropomorphic characters and a character voiced by J.K. Simmons as well.

** And James Hong as an affectionate, {{Adorkable}} doting foster father, considering his animated roles in ''Disney/{{Mulan}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'' along with his StarMakingRole in ''Film/BigTroubleInLittleChina'' were as major [[{{Jerkass}} Jerkasses]] (evil wizard/sorcerer in ''Big Trouble'' and ''JCA'', the latter of which had him abusive to his underlings, and as a misogynist advisor in ''Mulan'').

** Mr. Ping was going to be Po's stern boss (which ironically would have fit voice James Hong's [[Film/BigTroubleInLittleChina three]] [[Disney/{{Mulan}} previous]] [[WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures roles]] as a Mean Character) before one of the storyboard artists thought it would be funnier if he was Po's doting father instead.