I just repeats what I reads.

Borys Kit at Heat Vision reports that Charlie recently spent a couple of weeks polishing the script for...

... Kung Fu Panda 2.

Believe me, I know how that sounds. No sources are cited, and I can't find it mentioned anywhere else, but Borys is from Hollywood Reporter,which lends credibility. But still.

[Charlie] is coming off of less than two weeks worth of work on DreamWorks Animation’s “Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom,” the sequel to the fun 2008 movie that had the voice talent of Jack Black, Angelina Jolie and Dustin Hoffman.

His work on “Kaboom” falls under the polish category, and animated movies tend to be worked on by multiple writers, so it’s not fair to say this will be a Kaufman cartoon. But it will be interesting to see, when the movie is released in 2011, how much of the Kaufman stamp it will bear. (Source)

Ordinarily this would sound like complete BS to me. But the Hollywood Reporter thing... Talk about news out of left-field. Is this awesome or awful or just plain surprising?

Anyway. A while ago, Charlie did say he enjoyed the first Panda.

Thanks to Nathaniel and Alby!

Update: I don't have much faith in the IMDB's forums as a news source, but last month a member posted this message, which sounds kinda legit to me. I guess. (Emphasis added):

Today Charlie Kaufman was in Bologna, Italy, to receive the prize "Lancia - Celebration of Lives". He said he's working on a new script, "Tentative", about which he didn't revealed much. Does anyone know something?
And, about Kung Fu Panda 2: he said he worked on this script only about 2 weeks, stating that was like "writing a single episode for a tv series".

Sorry about my bad english. (Source)

I doubt Charlie's writing anything called "Tentative," though. Seems too simple for a CK title. Maybe something's been lost in translation. Like, "I'm tentatively working on a new script." Maybe.

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buster wrote on 16 May, 2010 05:23AM

wow... I don't know either ... I love kung fu panda, but it does seem.. not true. but if it is somehow true ... maybe it shouldn't be a big deal. like "ok. surprising. but ok" Cause no matter what, it's not gonna be a Charlie Kaufman script, and it shouldn't be a Kaufman script. it will be... Kung Fu Panda 2

David M. Rheingold wrote on 16 May, 2010 09:11PM

If the price is right, why not? It's no different from an actor doing voiceover work or appearing in a Japanese commercial. If polishing someone else's script gives Charlie more money and consequently freedom to exercise his imagination, then I'm all for it.

Jon wrote on 17 May, 2010 01:26PM

Not sure if this adds or subtracts credibility but it has been added to his IMDb profile. It does seem a little surprising though considering his more recent interviews seem to indicate he’d like to continue writing and directing his own work and he generally doesn't seem to like situations where his input isn't heavily factored into the final product. At the end of the day though, he did start out as a comedy writer and work is work.

Laurel wrote on 20 May, 2010 03:21AM

OH I don't think so! As you did before me, Mick, I *would* make the offer that if this happens, I'll post a naked pic of myself of my website, but as I'm not nearly as cute as you, it would really be more of a threat....

Valentín Arregui Paz wrote on 22 May, 2010 02:42AM

I don't know if the rumor is true, but it does not surprise me. Synecdoche, New York was an incomparable movie, a masterpiece, probably the largest of the Decade. But it was also an artistic suicide, a total leap into the void, a spit in the face of the American film industry. After that affront, is predictable that Kaufman needs to reconcile with the merchants from Hollywood if he intends to stay in some way in this business. It should not matter we Kung Fu Panda II, if that is the price he has to pay to continue providing us his beautiful art with total freedom. (Once again: sorry for my English).

Donovan wrote on 08 June, 2010 04:03PM

Of course it's true. We all know he has comic chops. Before his movie career took off, he wanted to write for The Simpsons. They turned him down. So... If the makers of a sequel to an animated film he has publicly admitted to enjoying (amazingly) approach him with flattery and a big paycheck, why wouldn't he take the two-week assignment. He will enjoy adding his own absurd humour to the script -- and maybe he'll even believe his gags will survive into the finished film. They probably won't, but at least he's having fun with his creativity. I prefer a funny Kaufman to a depressed Kaufman anyway.

Mick wrote on 09 June, 2010 03:31AM

It could be true. I've heard the story about CK trying to get work on The Simpsons. He also pitched an animated series about farm animals, back in the day. My main reasons for scepticism, though: - As far as I know, there's only one source for the info, and he didn't cite his own sources (no quotes from anyone who's involved in Kung Fu 2 -- not even a vague reference like "I've been told" or "Insiders say" or "A production assistant told me"; nothing, zip). That's my biggest reason of all by far, actually. Lots of people are reporting it, but they all seem to be getting the news from the Heat Vision blog. - Charlie doesn't like other people re-writing his work; I'm not sure he'd be into re-writing anyone else (unless the original writer/s are into it as well) - The IMDB listed Kung Fu 2 as one of his credits, then removed it. This mightn't mean anything. The IMDB is notorious for publishing tons and tons of misinformation about upcoming films.

donttouchthehair wrote on 18 July, 2010 12:29PM

Remember, at the London BFI Masterclass in '08 Charlie Kaufman did say: "I like Kung-Fu Panda". All the pieces are falling into place: Synecdoche was simply Charlie's way of getting his panda loving thoughts out into the world. He couldn't just announce it, as that would be too obvious, so he made Synecdoche as a cunning diversion and platform to state his true, secret, desires. Well played, Kaufman. Well played.

Mick wrote on 19 July, 2010 10:42PM

his panda loving thoughts The monkeys he once adored are going to be so jealous.

Ofelia Legaspi wrote on 22 July, 2010 08:17AM

Kung Fu Panda 2? James Cameron once regretted taking on directing Piranha 2. He still doesn't want to talk about it today. If this news is actually true, it is most intriguing to see how this is going to unfold. I love and trust CK's instincts as an artist and doubt that he's one to sell out. It would be a hell of a crazy and funny Panda if it's CK's project though. url

Ofelia Legaspi wrote on 22 July, 2010 08:19AM

Adaptation http://ofelialegaspi.com/2010/07/21/500-movie-dare-adaptation/ url

Mick wrote on 23 July, 2010 09:07AM

It would be a hell of a crazy and funny Panda if it's CK's project though. Definitely! Doesn't sound like it'll be his movie exactly, though; sounds like he's been handed a screenplay and has tweaked it here and there. Be interesting to see if we can spot the parts he has worked on. I'll make a post about your Adaptation link shortly, too.

donttouchthehair wrote on 23 July, 2010 02:45PM

Be interesting to see if we can spot the parts he has worked on. The bit where Kung Fu Panda gets into the mind of Winnie the Pooh and becomes a world class expressionist mime artist?

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