Every ‘Kung-Fu Panda’ Movie Ranked from Worst to Best

From the Valley of Peace to spirit-realm showdowns, the ‘Kung Fu Panda’ series has grown into a globe-trotting, lore-rich franchise with four main films that chart Po’s rise, his mentors, and a carousel of memorable villains. Below is a straight-through countdown—worst to best—based on how audiences have scored each entry, with quick-hit details about directors, cast, story focus, and how each film performed at the box office.

‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ (2024)

Directed by Mike Mitchell with Stephanie Ma Stine as co-director, ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ sends Po on a search for his successor while facing a shapeshifting nemesis known as the Chameleon, voiced by Viola Davis. The film introduces Zhen, a street-smart fox voiced by Awkwafina, and brings back franchise regulars like Dustin Hoffman and James Hong alongside Jack Black. Distributed by Universal Pictures, it topped domestic charts on debut and ultimately passed the half-billion mark worldwide. Box-office totals landed around $548 million globally.

‘Kung Fu Panda 3’ (2016)

Co-directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson and Alessandro Carloni, ‘Kung Fu Panda 3’ deepens Po’s family story with the arrival of his biological father Li Shan, played by Bryan Cranston. J. K. Simmons voices Kai, a supernatural warrior who steals chi, prompting Po to train a village of pandas to fight back. The production was a U.S.–China co-venture with China Film Group and Oriental DreamWorks, and Hans Zimmer returned to score. It grossed just over $521 million worldwide.

‘Kung Fu Panda 2’ (2011)

‘Kung Fu Panda 2’ is directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson and continues Po’s journey as he confronts Lord Shen, a peacock warlord voiced by Gary Oldman, whose new weapon threatens kung fu itself. The story expands Po’s backstory and takes the action to Gongmen City, with core cast members reprising their roles and Michelle Yeoh joining the ensemble. Released by Paramount Pictures, it became the highest-grossing animated feature of its year worldwide. Global earnings reached about $665.6 million.

‘Kung Fu Panda’ (2008)

The original film, directed by John Stevenson and Mark Osborne, introduces Po, the noodle-shop daydreamer chosen as the Dragon Warrior under Master Shifu’s reluctant tutelage. Featuring voice work from Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, and more, it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and earned major award nominations for animated feature. DreamWorks Animation released it to strong critical notices and standout box-office results. The film finished with roughly $632 million worldwide.

Tell us how your own ‘Kung Fu Panda’ countdown shakes out—drop your picks in the comments!