Publicized work on the film began in October 2004, with the project being officially announced in September 2005. Kung Fu Panda was theatrically released in the United States on June 6, 2008. The film received positive reviews for its mature themes, humor, faithfulness to the Tai chan chicken environment and tradition, action sequences and writing. Kung Fu Panda was nominated for the Academy Award as well as a Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Film.

However it lost both awards to WALL-E. In the Valley of Peace, a land in Ancient China inhabited by anthropomorphic animals, Po, a clumsy giant panda, helps his adoptive father Mr. At the same time, Shifu holds a tournament for the Five so that Oogway can identify the Dragon Warrior, the prophesied hero worthy of reading the Scroll, which is said to grant limitless power on its reader. Oogway proclaims him the Dragon Warrior.

During this time, Po learns that Shifu’s cold and distant behavior stems from his own shame over Tai Lung’s betrayal, having raised him from infancy. At Chorh-Gom Prison, Zeng’s warnings are ignored, and Tai Lung escapes. Shifu informs Oogway of the event, with the latter making him promise to believe in Po as the Dragon Warrior. Oogway then passes on to the heavens in a stream of peach blossoms. Meanwhile, Shifu discovers that Po is capable of impressive physical feats when motivated by food, and successfully trains Po by incorporating these feats into an innovative kung fu style.

Crane are soon defeated by his nerve-strike fighting technique. Crane carries the paralyzed Five back to the Jade Palace, where Shifu revives them and decides that Po is ready to receive the Dragon Scroll. Realizing that this is the message of the Dragon Scroll, Po rushes back to help Shifu. At the Jade Palace, Tai Lung overpowers Shifu and demands to know the location of the Scroll. Po arrives with the Dragon Scroll and challenges Tai Lung to combat.