The Netflix lineup experienced some big losses in the family movie department in recent weeks. After coming together on the lineup for the first time, the entire Shrek franchise departed Netflix all at once, along with a bunch of Despicable Me and Minions films. Those losses were definitely tough on subscribers with kids, but the start of December fortunately brought three hits from another great animated franchise to Netflix’s roster.
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On December 1st, the first three Kung Fu Panda movies made their way to Netflix, giving subscribers the majority of Po’s journey from noodle cook to kung fu legend. Kung Fu Panda, Kung Fu Panda 2, and Kung Fu Panda 3 are all currently available to stream on Netflix, with only Kung Fu Panda 4 missing from the bunch. That fourth installment is only streaming on Peacock right now.
The original Kung Fu Panda, released back in 2008, went on to become a cornerstone for all of DreamWorks Animation, along with Shrek and How to Train Your Dragon. With Jack Black leading an all-star cast as the titular bear, Kung Fu Panda spawned a massive franchise that reached across film, television, video games, and several other mediums.
If you haven’t watched the Kung Fu Panda movies before, you’re definitely in for a treat, especially when you get to Kung Fu Panda 2. Outside of maybe Toy Story 2, Po’s second adventure is probably the best animated sequel of all time. From the incredible animation to its edge-of-your-seat action, Kung Fu Panda 2 is so much more than you expect going into it.
What’s New on Netflix?
The first three Kung Fu Panda movies aren’t the only family hits to recently land on Netflix’s lineup, but they are the biggest that were previously announced. All three of those titles were part of Netflix’s newsletter for December, signaling their arrival ahead of time. When December 1st rolled around, however, the service also added the popular Rio movies from the now-defunct Blue Sky Studios.
Rio and Rio 2 were both added to Netflix’s lineup on Monday morning, and both have been instant successes for the service. Tuesday’s edition of the Netflix Top 10 Movies list sees Rio as the number two film on all of Netflix, behind only the brand new original Troll 2, while Rio 2 comes in at fourth on the list.
Surprisingly, the Rio movies are outperforming Kung Fu Panda, at least after their first day on Netflix. That seems surprising, given how much more popular the Kung Fu Panda franchise has been over the years, but the surprise element of Rio (and their relative exclusivity on Disney+ and Hulu) may have added to their success.
Are you excited to check out these new movies on Netflix? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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