DreamWorks Animation confirmed today that Gary Oldman has joined the voice cast of Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom and added that Michelle Yeoh, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Victor Garber are on board as well. They join Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross and James Hong in the film, which is now scheduled to be released on May 27, 2011 (Memorial Day weekend). The previously announced release date was June 3, 2011.
Other releases scheduled around May 27, 2011 are Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (May 20), The Hangover 2 (May 26) and X-Men: First Class (June 3).
Oldman voices the character of Lord Shen (a peacock), the film’s formidable new villain while Yeoh brings to life the mystical character of The Soothsayer (a goat). Van Damme and Garber round out the cast as Master Croc and Master Thundering Rhino, respectively.
“In the sequel, Po goes on an amazing personal journey and we are thrilled to have assembled such a talented and well-respected group of actors to bring to life our new characters, who alongside our returning cast play such a critical role in Po’s quest and his ultimate triumph over the forces of evil,” said Melissa Cobb, producer of both Kung Fu Panda and its sequel.
During its theatrical run in 2008, Kung Fu Panda–DreamWorks Animation’s most successful original film ever–reached over $631 million in worldwide box office. The sequel will follow Po, the world’s biggest kung fu fan, as he continues his journey as the chosen one who fulfills an ancient prophesy while mastering the art of kung fu. Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom is directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson and produced by Melissa Cobb. Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, who wrote and co-produced the original film, also return.
