Over the past century, few if any genres of film have evolved in the way animated films have. What began in the early 20th century as black and white, silent films have become spectacles in comparison. Special effects and other technology utilized in the creation of these projects have facilitated the jobs of animators tremendously while simultaneously allowing them to put out projects that highlight the growth of the animated film industry incredibly well. We began to see this shift in the quality of animated films towards the end of the 20th century, and then even more so in the early 2000’s when a number of memorable franchises took the industry by storm. Now one of those early 2000’s franchises is rumored to be making a comeback, with talks of Shrek 5 popping up this week as well as rumors that we may also see a spin-off franchise as well that would leave fans ecstatic.
Originally releasing in May of 2001, Shrek, voiced by the legendary Mike Myers, told the story of an ogre who lives in a world of royalty but exists as an outcast given his off-putting appearance and demeanor. When a challenge arises though and a member of the royal class Shrek had been completely shunned from is kidnapped, the outcast ends up becoming the hero as his actions embody the adage to never judge a book by its cover. That first Shrek film raked in almost $500 million in box offices worldwide, and served as the birth of an iconic franchise which also includes three subsequent films released between 2004 and 2010. Now Dreamworks and Illumination are set to bring the beloved green ogre back to the big screen with Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri confirming that Shrek 5 is in the works, and added that the original cast of Myers, Eddie Murphy as Donkey, Cameron Diaz as Princess Fiona and Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots are all on board. But wait, there’s more: Meledanadri loosely confirmed that a spin-off project could be on the horizon as well with Donkey as the focal point instead, saying that the character could “without question” support its own film and Murphy himself showing strong enthusiasm about the potential project. While everything is speculation and rumors at this point, they’re strong rumors being backed by the most important names involved in the projects which could be an amazing indication of what’s to come for Shrek fans.
In reality, I don’t think anybody would’ve truly expected a story about an ogre living in a swamp would captivate audiences the same way Shrek did when it first released. Now it is considered an animated classic, and has exhibited its longevity incredibly well with the initial film being released over two decades ago. Now we could be on the verge of seeing the iconic ogre on the big screen once again, and eager fans should remain on the lookout for further updates about Shrek 5 as more information becomes available.
