Parody of classic tales Given how successful the Shrek films were throughout the 2000s, it’s no surprise that fans are hoping for a sequel to 2010’s Shrek Forever After, which was originally announced as the final instalment.
Despite producing four major hits in less than a decade, the popular animation franchise has been conspicuously absent from the many reboots, sequels, and spin-offs currently playing in theatres. But there’s no need to bargain with Rumpelstiltskin;
Shrek 5 has been in production since 2016, so all we have to do is wait for it to hit theatres. It’s been a while, so here’s an update on the status of Shrek 5’s rocky production and an estimate of when we might next see the green ogre on the big screen.
When can we expect to see Shrek 5 in theatres?
There is no official release date for Shrek 5. Even though 2010’s fourth film was supposed to be the last in the series, Dreamworks dropped hints that another film was possible. Shrek 5 started production in 2016, with Austin Powers writer Michael McCullers on board to pen the script.
There was supposed to be a Shrek sequel in 2019, but after the voice actors confirmed that a script had been written, nothing more was heard. Eddie Murphy then estimated to Cinema Blend that the film would be released in 2020, but that year has already passed without its appearance in theatres.
The most up-to-date estimate from Fandom places the home media release in November 2022. Since the worldwide pandemic has slowed progress, it is unclear if this schedule is still feasible.
The previous films were released every three years, at intervals of 2001, 2004, 2007, and 2010.
Where does the plot of Shrek 5 stand?
Producer Jeffrey Katzenberg told IGN after the 2004 release of Shrek 2 that the franchise was always intended to span five movies, and that in Shrek 5, “we will understand how Shrek came to be in that swamp, when we meet him in the first movie.”
There was supposed to be a prequel to Shrek released in 2013, but it was decided during the making of Shrek Forever After that the events of the fourth film were a fitting conclusion to the story of the beloved green ogre.
After a long hiatus, rumours of a fifth film continued to circulate, but it wasn’t until 2016 that production on Shrek 5 began, after Comcast bought DreamWorks Animation for $3.8 billion and became the parent company of NBC Universal. Later that year, it was reported that the film would be released in 2019, after then-NBC Universal chief Steve Burke discussed plans to revive the franchise and other DreamWorks films.
Eddie Murphy has confirmed that Austin Powers writer Michael McCullers has written a script for Shrek 5, and McCullers told The Hollywood Reporter in March 2017 that his story was “a pretty big reinvention” for the series, leading some to wonder if Shrek 5 would actually be a reboot.
Variety confirmed in 2018 that both Shrek 5 and Puss in Boots 2 would be reboots, albeit with the same voice cast, and that Chris Meledandri, the director behind Despicable Me, was overseeing the productions.Finding “something that really does feel like it’s not simply yet another film in a series of sequels” was a challenge, he said.
Although pre-production went well, we haven’t heard anything about Shrek 5 since, and it’s clear that the film won’t be released in 2019.With the franchise having slowed by the time of Shrek Forever After and a decade passing since, it seems likely that Shrek 5 will be a reboot of some kind, which Comcast is probably hoping will revitalise the series.
While it’s safe to assume that the original voice actors will return (after all, can you picture Shrek without Mike Myers’ Scottish accent? ), little else is known about the reboot at this time.But scriptwriter Michael McCullers says that reinvention is the key.
McCullers told THR that a reinvention was necessary. The characters are well-liked and fantastic, but a fresh approach is required because “there have been four movies and a lot of material.”
Who will be in the cast of Shrek 5?
The original voice actors like Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Antonio Banderas will return, but the plot will be revamped. Cameron Diaz, who voiced Princess Fiona, retired from acting in 2014, and it is currently unknown whether or not she will be coaxed out of retirement for voice work or if the role will be recast.
Is a sequel to Puss in Boots in the works?
As opposed to Shrek 5, the Puss in Boots sequel has been gaining popularity. There have been rumblings of a Puss in Boots script since at least 2012, and the film has already changed hands once and had the working title “Nine Lives and 40 Thieves” before landing on its current moniker.
The sequel, now titled Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, was announced to be directed by Joel Crawford in March 2021. Crawford previously directed the animated film The Croods: A New Age. The release date of Puss in Boots 2 has been determined to be September 23, 2022.
How many different Shrek movies are there?
The Shrek series consists of four films. In this boxset, you can purchase all four films individually:
- Shrek (2001)
- Shrek 2 (2004)
- The New Shrek Movie (2007)
- Ever After, the Final Chapter of Shrek (2010)
Where To Watch?
The latest information regarding Shrek 5 will be provided here.The first four films in the Shrek series are available to stream on Netflix.See what else is coming out in theatres in 2021 with our movie release schedule.
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