Gary Oldman Brings the Kaboom to 'Kung Fu Panda'

A week ago, the story was that Charlie Kaufman was writing or rewriting or touching up what is very likely a small part of the script for Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom. This week, the story's about another cool addition to the sequel: Gary Oldman will be joining the voice cast, the first major newcomer announced so far. The sequel concerns Po (Jack Black) and his quest to find other pandas and a conflict with a group of bandits. According to Heat Vision, Oldman will play "a character named Peacock who helps Po find the bandits but is more than he seems." Classic Gary Oldman, say I. The first Panda packed a box office whallop, and was really entertaining, similar to this year's How to Train Your Dragon only even more successful. I remember thinking that a sequel would be a good thing, and so far, I think you have to give credit to DreamWorks for finding interesting elements to add to the follow-up rather than throwing a heap of stars and extraneous characters at it. Oldman brings a certain unique thing, and that's certainly true of Charlie Kaufman. Oldman's doing more animation and family film in general these days. Obviously, there's the Harry Potter stuff, but he made two 'toons last year, Planet 51 and A Christmas Carol.