Shrek (film series)

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Shrek series
Directed by Andrew Adamson
Vicky Jenson
Written by William Steig (book)
Starring Mike Myers
Eddie Murphy
Cameron Diaz
Antonio Banderas (2-5)
Julie Andrews (2-5)
Justin Timberlake (3-5)
Rupert Everett (2-3)
John Cleese (2-3)
Music by Harry Gregson-Williams
John Powell
Editing by Michael Andrews
Sim Evan-Jones
Distributed by DreamWorks Animation
Release date(s) 2001 - 2013
Running time 270 minutes
Country Flag of the United States United States
Language English
Budget $295 million
Gross revenue $2,161,714,655 (as of 2008)
Official website

The Shrek film series from DreamWorks Animation, based on William Steig's picture book, Shrek!, consists of eight projects, three of which have been released as feature films: Shrek (2001), Shrek 2 (2004), and Shrek the Third (2007). Shrek Goes Fourth is currently in pre-production, aiming for release in 2010. Shrek 5 is a sequel proposed for release in 2013. One spin-off project, Shrek The Halls in 2007, has been completed. One film is in the development phase, Puss in Boots: The Story of an Ogre Killer, expected to be released in 2011.

Contents

[edit] Films

[edit] Shrek

Shrek movie poster
Shrek movie poster
Main article: Shrek

Shrek, a solitary ogre, finds a surprise when fairy tale creatures are sent to live in his swamp by the evil Lord Farquaad. Shrek befriends a talking Donkey, and the two set off to meet with Lord Farquaad. Lord Farquaad needs Princess Fiona to marry him so that he will become king. So when Shrek and Donkey visit him, they are forced to rescue Fiona from an amorous fire-breathing dragon for Farquaad to marry. The Dragon turns out to be a girl and she falls in love with Donkey. However Donkey escapes and Dragon chases them.

Once Shrek and Donkey rescued Fiona they take her back to Lord Farquaad. However Along the way, Shrek falls in love with Fiona. Fiona reveals she is cursed and turns into an Ogre at night. The only way the curse can be broken is by true loves first kiss. Fiona and Farquaad have a marriage ceremony; however they are interrupted by Shrek who tells Fiona he loves her. Shrek and Fiona kiss and Fiona turns into an Ogre permanently. Shrek gets his swamp back, and the two marry there. After a karaoke party the two set off on their honeymoon.

The film is set in a fairytale world, with funny appearances from commonly known fairytale characters.

[edit] Shrek 2

Shrek 2 movie poster
Shrek 2 movie poster
Main article: Shrek 2

The second film opens with Prince Charming on a quest to rescue Princess Fiona from the Dragon. When he gets there he finds the wolf from Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs in Fiona’s bed. He asks where Fiona is and the wolf tells him she is on her honeymoon with Shrek. Once Shrek and Fiona return from their honeymoon, they find Donkey in the swamp who tells them he and Dragon are going through a rough patch. They then get invited to the land of Far Far Away by Fiona’s parents who want to bless their marriage. When they arrive Shrek and Fiona aren’t what they expected. The evil Prince Charming and his mother, the Fairy Godmother, are trying to break up Shrek’s marriage by making Fiona fall in love with Prince Charming. However it doesn’t work and Shrek and Fiona stay together. Shrek and Donkey get a new sidekick called Puss in Boots.

[edit] Shrek the Third

Shrek the Third movie poster
Shrek the Third movie poster
Main article: Shrek the Third

Shrek and Fiona are reluctantly reigning over Far, Far Away during King Harold's prolonged illness. The King promises that if they can find Fiona's cousin Artie, he will make him the next in line, so Shrek doesn't have to run the country after his death. Further complicating matters is a little secret Fiona's been keeping, but the biggest problem is Prince Charming; he's gathered some new partners in crime and Far Far Away is going to go crazy.

There are times in which Fiona feels worried about her new life as Queen, but shortly gets aquipt with the tasks at hand. Her friends comes to visit and shower with gifts as they find out she is pregnant, and when she confesses to Shrek, he freaks out. But realizes he is going to need to stand up for himself and protect his new family in the near future. Everything worked out fine in the end, Shrek and Fiona are happy and with Donkey out of the way, they can now try and enjoy their lives, however will things change or are old faces appearing.

[edit] Shrek Goes Fourth

Shrek Goes Fourth is currently in pre-production, aiming for release on May 21, 2010.[1][2] Tim Sullivan will write the film,[3] and Mike Mitchell is in talks to direct. The principal cast members will all reprise their roles.[4] The plot has yet to be announced, but according to Dreamworks co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg, "We will come back to understand how Shrek arrived in that swamp. We will reveal his story,"[5] and Cameron Diaz has reportedly asked for the film to have an eco-friendly storyline about a threatened swamp.[6] A deleted scene from Shrek the Third may be used, in which a talking tree explains that Artie is next in line for the Far Far Away throne.[7] It has also been confirmed that Shrek will have a mid-life crisis[citation needed]. On 12 February 2008, Dreamworks co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg announced that he would like this film to take on a darker theme and will feature Donkey's evil twin as the primary villian. The song Te o Tsunago will be on this film.

Shrek Goes Fourth will be released in both 2-D and IMAX 3-D, as DreamWorks Animation is planning on releasing all their films in 3-D starting in 2009.[8] Katzenberg has confirmed, however, that the film's "primary" release will be in 3-D.[9]

[edit] Shrek 5

Dreamworks co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg confirmed that there would be a fifth movie and that "it's a finite story," indicating that it would be the final movie in the series.[10]

[edit] Puss in Boots: The Story of an Ogre Killer

Puss in Boots: The Story of an Ogre Killer is an expected animated film spin-off focusing on the character Puss in Boots, set between the forthcoming Shrek Goes Fourth and the proposed Shrek 5. The film would be released in 2011, with Antonio Banderas reprising his role as Puss in Boots, as well as playing Puss' twin brother.[11]

[edit] Movies

[edit] Box office performance

Title Release date(s) Box office Run Minutes
Shrek May 18, 2001 $484,409,218 91 min.
Shrek 2 May 19, 2004 $919,838,758 93 min.
Shrek the Third May 18, 2007 $797,600,000 92 min.
Shrek Goes Fourth May 21, 2010 n/a n/a
Shrek 5 May 24, 2013 n/a n/a
Shrek series Total of 3 films as of 2007 $2,161,714,655 276 min.

[edit] Reception

Film Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic Yahoo! Movies
Overall Top Critics
Shrek 89% 75/100 reviews 84 Critics --, Users B+
Shrek 2 89% 75/100 reviews 75 Critics B, Users B+
Shrek the Third 42% 35/50 reviews 58 Critics B-, Users B
Shrek Goes Fourth
Shrek 5

[edit] Cast & characters

  • A dark grey cell represents that the character does not appear in that Shrek film.
Character Film
Shrek (2001) Shrek 2 (2004) Shrek the Third (2007) Shrek Goes Fourth (2010) Shrek 5 (2013)
Shrek Mike Myers
Donkey Eddie Murphy
Fiona Cameron Diaz
Puss in Boots   Antonio Banderas
Queen Lillian   Julie Andrews
King Harold   John Cleese  
Prince Charming   Rupert Everett  
Artie   Justin Timberlake
Lord Farquaad   John Lithgow
Fairy Godmother     Jennifer Saunders
Pinocchio Cody Cameron
Gingy Conrad Vernon
Sleeping Beauty     Cheri Oteri
Snow White     Amy Poehler
Rapunzel     Maya Rudolph
Merlin     Eric Idle

[edit] References

  1. ^ Ben Fritz. "Dreamworks Animation Announces Fall 2010 Title, New "Shrek 4"", Comingsoon.net, 2007-10-31. Retrieved on 2007-10-31. 
  2. ^ "2010: The Year 'Shrek 4' Made Contact Working title is 'The Next Shrek'", Zap2it.com, 2007-08-02. Retrieved on 2007-08-02. 
  3. ^ "Tim Sullivan to Write Shrek 4", ComingSoon.net, 2005-03-07. Retrieved on 2007-03-21. 
  4. ^ Mike Sampson. "Shrek 4 set for 2010", JoBlo.com, 2007-08-02. Retrieved on 2007-08-03. 
  5. ^ Richard Brunton. "DreamWorks confirms Shrek 4 and 5!", FilmStalker, 2007-05-29. Retrieved on 2007-09-08. 
  6. ^ Cameron Diaz Wants Eco-Themed Message in 'Shrek 4'. Retrieved on 2007-12-30.
  7. ^ National Geographic Kids, May 2007 issue
  8. ^ Ben Fritz. "DreamWorks going 3-D in 2009", Variety, 2007-03-12. Retrieved on 2007-07-12. 
  9. ^ Moviehole: Exclusive Interview: Jeffrey Katzenberg. 20 November 2007].
  10. ^ The ogre achiever, The Age, 27 May 2007
  11. ^ Jen Yamato. "Banderas Promises More Than 5 "Shrek" Movies", Rotten Tomatoes, 2007-04-26. Retrieved on 2007-06-26. 

[edit] External links

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