Po has taken down lots of opponents is his day, but this is one battle he’s skipping. DreamWorks Animation said today that it has pushed the release of Kung Fu Panda 3 from December 23, 2015, to the following March 18. It was to have opened five days after a little film called Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The move leaves Home (March 27) as DWA’s lone pic officially scheduled for 2015. The studio, whose films are distributed by Fox, said last month that it is likely to move B.O.O.: Bureau Of Otherworldy Operations from its June 5 slot, but no new release date has been announced.
“Kung Fu Panda is one of DWA’s most treasured properties, and we want to make sure it is positioned where it has the best chance to reach the broadest audience,” Fox President of Domestic Distribution Chris Aronson told Deadline. “In reviewing the competitive landscape, which we do on an ongoing basis, we feel that the spring availability does just that — gives KFP the maximum amount of air to breathe in order to have a long, successful run.”
The Kung Fu Panda threequel starring Jack Black isn’t the only pic to have ceded ground to the Star Wars juggernaut. Universal last year pushed Warcraft out of the December 18, 2015, slot in favor of March 2016.
The Deadline Team
