Black is back as martial arts panda

come together and ultimately they learn larger truths about themselves,” she added. Black adds: “I was stoked with the chemistry of the characters, because in a lot of ways, they’re similar. They’re both orphans, they both had tragic beginnings – but there’s also a big difference between the two in the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ emotionally.

Black (54) and Awkwafina (35) both come from comedy backgrounds, but have very different styles.

“I love Nora’s dry, sardonic sense of humour, that I don’t really share,” Black admits.

“I’m more like a kid with my physical humour and childish kind of energy. Those two dynamics work perfectly for the characters.”

Voice actors for Kung Fu Panda 4 don’t record together, but tape their parts separately – except for one day where Black and Awkwafina linked up in the booth. “I think we realised why we don’t do it together, because we were cracking each other up so much,” Black says cheekily.

Awkwafina wasn’t the only new character – as always, the film brought in a new villain.

Po finds himself up against an evil sorceress, The Chameleon (voiced by How To Get Away With Murder star Viola Davis), who has the power to shapeshift into any animal she wants, with her beady eyes on Po’s Staff of Wisdom for nefarious purposes.

Davis follows in the footsteps of JK

Simmons and Gary Oldman as the franchise’s latest antagonist, with director Mike Mitchell (who has also worked on Shrek Forever After and Trolls) saying: “We’ve created an even more formidable villain in this one with Viola Davis – as the first female villain, but supernatural and shape-shifting.”

With four movies now in the bag, is there more to Po’s tale?

Black said: “We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, but yes – I can see it going, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9… if you think we’re going to make 10 of these, you are sadly mistaken.”

The latest movie might only just be in cinemas, but Mitchell’s already thinking of what’s next.

■ Kung Fu Panda 4 is in cinemas now.