In “Kung Fu Panda 2” Po (JACK BLACK) is now living his dream as The Dragon Warrior, protecting the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, The Furious Five: Tigress (ANGELINA JOLIE); Monkey (JACKIE CHAN); Mantis (SETH ROGEN); Viper (LUCY LIU); and Crane (DAVID CROSS). Also returning is DUSTIN HOFFMAN as the kung fu guru and Po’s mentor, Master Shifu, and JAMES HONG as Mr. Ping, Po’s father and owner of the most popular noodle shop in the village.

Reprising his role as Kung Fu Panda’s Mr. Ping, James Hong recently won the Annie Award for his voice performance in “Kung Fu Panda Holiday.” As Po’s father, the goose Mr. Ping, James Hong—the veteran character actor with more than 60 years’ worth of performances—found the first film “awesome” without any thought of biology or parentage. He comments, “I was flabbergasted by the whole thing, the process, the way it was put together. I just could not believe what I was seeing, in the sense that it was amazing to finally ‘see’ my voice coming out of Ping. I think I saw it at the premiere for the first time, and seeing my voice married together with the character so well, I didn’t know if I was Mr. Ping or Mr. Ping was me. Although I think he might even be a deeper character than I am. He has many facets. I would say, to describe him, he’s a single parent—sort of a Jewish mother and a Chinese father combined, if you can imagine that!”

James Hong talks Kung Fu Panda 2

Returning as the seductive fighter Viper, Lucy Liu couldn’t have been happier that the project was heading into a second chapter. Liu explains, “My experience with the first one was incredible. And then to find out that they wanted to do it again was even more exciting—mostly based on the reaction of the kids that I know that loved the first one. When they saw the movie, a lot of them didn’t know that I was playing Viper, because some are younger and they don’t really associate me with my voice. But once they got that concept, and figured out it was me, suddenly, I was like the President of the United States! All of a sudden, I became this VIP, and they immediately started haranguing me about a sequel, way before one was announced.”

Adulation aside, the quality of the art was of key importance to Liu: “In 3D this time, there’s so much that will be amazing in the animation—the kung fu fighting, the movement, the landscape of China, the architecture of Shen’s city. To see it really coming towards you; that added dimension really just reinforces the beauty of the animation, and the composition of the picture.”

Lucy Liu talks Kung Fu Panda 2

For Jackie Chan’s involvement, silliness was a requirement most days. The character’s joking manner was perfectly served by Chan’s jovial work attitude—it could almost be mistaken for a case of type casting. Chan says, “It’s so much fun playing Monkey that it doesn’t even feel like a job. We’re very much alike—we’re good at martial arts, and we can use joking as a screen, to hide the fact that before our opponents know it, while they’re laughing, we’ve beaten them. But then a lot of times, I just joke for fun.”

Additional new cast members include MICHELLE YEOH as the Soothsayer in service to Lord Shen, whose visions of the future play a key role in the destiny to come; DANNY MCBRIDE as Shen’s minion, the Wolf Boss; and DENNIS HAYSBERT as Master Storming Ox. The cast also features action superstar JEAN-CLAUDE VAN DAMME as Master Croc and VICTOR GARBER as Master Thundering Rhino.

With the return of the Furious Five, Po’s new life of awesomeness is threatened by the emergence of a formidable villain, Lord Shen (GARY OLDMAN), who plans to use a secret, unstoppable weapon to conquer China and destroy kung fu. Po must look to his past and uncover the secrets of his mysterious origins—only then will he be able to unlock the strength he needs to succeed.

Kung Fu Panda 2 trailer