After becoming a Zen kung fu master and dragon warrior, a popular idol, capable of making even his two dads proud, Po "now has to take a further step to grow. He has already had the courage not to follow his parents' expectations, to don't do what others ask of us to be loved. He made his dreams come true, he found himself."
But now he "has to get out of the battles, you become his comfort zone, and it's not easy".
This is how Fabio Volo summarizes the journey of the character he returns to voice in Kung Fu Panda 4, directed by Mike Mitchell with Stephanie Ma Stine, the new chapter of the Dreamworks animated saga (which with the previous films has grossed around 2 billion globally dollars), arriving in Italian cinemas on March 21st with Universal.
Volo considers himself "lucky, because Kung Fu Panda is one of my most autobiographical films, I see myself very much in these stories".
In interpreting him "I also based myself a little on what I experienced. Po is a big child, he knows no malice, he is an enthusiast, he has a childish heart, and I have it too, my mother passed it on to me." mother, it is his most beautiful gift", he underlines, also quoting the verses of a poem by Gozzano ("My heart, playful brat who laughs even while crying, my heart, child who is so happy to exist in the world".. .).
"These are phrases in which I find myself, I have always had the joy of being in the world" and like Po then "I have made my weaknesses my strength".
Po, "after having fought so much, like Ulysses he must return home, take a step back" he explains.
"If you identify with what you do it's difficult to stop working. But we are not what we do, that's just a means we have to investigate ourselves" adds the writer, presenter and actor speaking of the plot.
In the film, which has just debuted in the US with 58 million dollars at the box office in the first weekend (reaching 80 million with the first releases worldwide), Po doesn't take it very well when his master Shifu asks him to pass the role of a dragon warrior to a disciple to identify and become the spiritual guide of.
A task that brings the thieving fox Zhen on his way just as he finds himself fighting a new and powerful opponent, the sorceress Chameleon (originally voiced by Viola Davis), a lizard capable of transforming into any creature.
"Now Po has to face a new battle, that of taking off his armor and learning to listen to others and grasp situations. This is his return home."
"I never took steps backwards willingly either, I grew up with my father's culture of never giving up.
Volo meditates regularly, "I have always had a strong relationship with spirituality. As a child I slept with a statue of Jesus instead of a stuffed animal and I was an altar boy."
Then "over the years I have found more personal paths".
Among the most interesting aspects of the film there is also "the character of this 'villain', who transforms into anyone but doesn't know how to be herself. I also find it reminiscent of a threat that artificial intelligence presents today, capable of making it seem real what is false."
The positive debut of the film in the USA could lead to a fifth chapter: "Maybe - comments Volo - it would also be nice to see Po papa".
Also because playing the saga "made me earn points with my children".
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