The DreamWorks Franchise, Shrek, will be celebrating its 25th anniversary next May. There are not any details yet on what the fifth film will be about, but the original characters will be returning — Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey. Shrek is a beloved series, the first movie got a 90% rating as audiences loved it, Shrek 2 was loved by critics with an 88% rating in the movie where Shrek meets Fiona’s parents. Audiences gave Shrek the Third a 52% rating as it really didn’t do well in the box office — but I thought that it was a funny movie because the princesses act lazy, and it had Artie who is inspired by The Sword in the Stone. Shrek Forever After which is considered “The Final Chapter” got a 58% from all critics meaning that it was not that great. I would have to give this movie four stars because I have not seen the fourth film yet, but the other films are funny with its gross humor.
There will also be a Donkey spin-off movie which is still in development. There is no date for it yet but according to sources it will be in production following the completion of Shrek 5 which will be hitting theaters December 23rd, 2026. However, according to Eddie Murphy, DreamWorks has officially greenlit this movie.
The movie franchise is also based on the book by William Steig who was an American cartoonist, he is best known for his picture books because he is a children’s author. He is best known for writing the “Shrek” book which came out in 1990. William Steig has seen the first movie and said, “It’s vulgar, it’s disgusting, and I loved it.” He unfortunately did not get to see the other films as he sadly passed away at the age of 95, Shrek 2 was released seven months after his death which was dedicated to his memory.
The Shrek animation was supposed to be a little scary and dark, but the animators thought it would be too scary for children. Chris Farley was supposed to voice Shrek, and he nearly recorded all the dialogue before he passed away. Nicolas Cage was offered the role, but he turned it down because he did not want to look like an ogre, as he explains years later that when you’re voicing an animated character children are going to see that more than anything else and he cares about that. So, the role went to Mike Myers. Janeane Garofalo was supposed to voice Fiona but after Farley’s passing, she got fired for unknown reasons and years later she explained that she was never told why she was fired but sometimes she thinks that she sounds like a man. They ended up giving the role to Cameron Diaz.
The cast includes Mike Myers (Wayne’s World), Eddie Murphy (Daddy Day Care), Cameron Diaz (There’s Something About Mary), John Lithgow (3rd Rock from the Sun), Vincent Cassel (Ocean’s Thirteen), Antonio Banderas (Spy Kids), Julie Andrews (The Sound of Music), John Cleese (Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein), Rupert Everett (Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children), Jennifer Saunders (Absolutely Fabulous), Justin Timberlake (Bad Teacher), Eric Idle (Ella Enchanted), John Krasinski (The Office), Cheri Oteri (SNL), Amy Sedaris (Ghost Team), Maya Rudolph (Grown Ups), Amy Poehler (Baby Mama), Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Jane Lynch (Glee), Craig Robinson (The Office), Kristen Schaal (What We Do in the Shadows), and Walt Dohrn (director of Trolls Franchise). Shrek 5 has not come out so there are no confirmed new characters yet, as Puss in Boots movies will be in a different movie proposal.
