Those of you who saw the delightful 2008 animated film Kung Fu Panda are aware of the impressive array of actors that voiced the various different animals. Jack Black played the titular Panda, Po, and along with him there was Angelina Jolie (Tigress), Jackie Chan (Monkey), Seth Rogen (Mantis), David Cross (Crane) and Dustin Hoffman (Master Shifu).

So how could the voice cast for the sequel - entitled Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom - get any better? Well, by adding fantastic actor Gary Oldman to it, that's how.

Heat Vision Blog reports that Oldman will join the cast of Kung Fu Panda 2, which is headed for a 2011 release. The film continues the adventures of Po the Panda and his band of Kung Fu animals. This time the story follows Po who, whilst in search of other pandas, happens across a group of bandits. Oldman will voice a character called Peacock who helps Po on his way but "is more than he seems." Oldman will join Black, Jolie, Chan, Rogen, Cross and Hoffman, who are all returning for the sequel.

Kung Fu Panda 2 animals

I think we can take from that description of Oldman's character that he will turn out to be some sort of villain. Previous reports stated that the plot would see the Kung Fu animals go up against a new villain who has a mysterious and powerful weapon that somehow threatens the very existence of the titular martial art. The Oldman casting report doesn't mention that plot point, so we're not sure if that will still come into play.

Oldman is no stranger to the world of animation: Just last fall he lent his voice to both "Planet 51" and Robert Zemeckis' motion-capture retelling of A Christmas Carol. Adding Oldman to your cast - animated film or not - is rarely a bad thing, in my opinion. I really liked Kung Fu Panda (it was a very pleasant surprise) and am very much looking forward to its sequel, even more so now that Oldman has been cast.

What makes me even more interested in Kung Fu Panda 2 is the fact that Charlie Kaufman recently polished the screenplay. Kaufman is mostly known for off-beat, strange and sometimes even downright bizarre films like Being John Malkovich, Adaptation and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I doubt his updates to the Kung Fu Panda 2 script will be anything like his usual movies, but it's certainly an interesting thing to take note of.

Are you excited that Gary Oldman has joined the cast of Kung Fu Panda 2? Were you a fan of the first movie?

Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom is slated to hit theaters on June 3rd, 2011.

Source: Heat Vision Blog