'The funniest of the four': Jack Black has high praise for Kung Fu Panda 4

Jack Black thinks 'Kung Fu Panda 4' is the franchise's "funniest" movie yet.

The 54-year-old star reprises his role as Po in the animated flick and thinks that an all-star cast that features Awkwafina, Viola Davis and Dustin Hoffman makes it the best film in the martial arts series so far.

Jack told The Hollywood Reporter at the film's Los Angeles premiere on Sunday (03.03.24): "I think it's the funniest of the four, and it's action-packed.

"Our new cast members are insanely talented – Awkwafina is amazing, Viola Davis as the villain is, as usual, incredible, and my two dads, James Hong and Bryan Cranston.

"Everyone just kills it and it's so fun to be back, because the last 'Kung Fu Panda' was 2016. How long has that been, eight years? So it's really exciting to be back on a horsey blowing people's minds again; I can't wait for everyone to see it."

The film's writer and co-producer Jonathan Aibel quipped: "We only like to write for Oscar winners, or Oscar nominees if it comes to it."

Aibel explained that he was unsure if the 'Kung Fu Panda' franchise would continue after the lengthy break following the third picture before the right story materialised.

He said: "We always think we're done with it. There's always the back of your mind where you think, 'Could there be more?' That would be wonderful, but you can't end a movie expecting the audience to have that (desire), you've got to give them something great.

"You think, 'We can't do this again, we're done, we've told this story', and then an idea comes to you and you think, 'Well what if this happened?' And here we are again."