Home » Entertainment » Movies & TV » Movies

Fans Rejoice “Return of Cinema” After New ‘Shrek 5’ Update

in Movies

Posted on by Averyl Fong
(left to right) Donkey, Shrek and Human Fiona, edited with Martin Scorsese with prayer hands

Credit: DreamWorks, Martin Scorsese

The Shrek franchise is getting a new installment — and fans are going feral for the big green ogre’s return to the silver screen.

Shrek (left) Donkey (right) DreamWorks
Credit: DreamWorks

Related: All The ‘Shrek’ Movies Ranked From Worst to Best

The Shrek franchise is an exceedingly popular animated series produced by DreamWorks Animation, and essentially inducted into the cultural zeitgeist of the early 2000s. It features a talented original cast, including Mike Myers as Shrek, Eddie Murphy as Donkey, Cameron Diaz as Princess Fiona, and John Lithgow as Lord Farquaad. The franchise began with the 2001 film Shrek, which was followed by three sequels: Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek the Third (2007), and ending with the fourth movie, Shrek Forever After (2010). The franchise has also spawned a number of spin-off media, including video games, television specials, and a Broadway musical.

Shrek 2 Human Shrek and Fiona
Credit: DreamWorks

Most prominent in the Shrek franchise right now is likely the Puss in Boots series of movies, starring Antonio Banderas as the swashbuckling kitty Puss in Boots — the most recent Puss in Boots movie of which, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) received mass critical acclaim with an astonishing 95% on Rotten Tomatoes (at the time of writing) and a surprisingly stellar box office taking, as the 10th highest grossing film of 2022. With such overwhelmingly positive reception, it’s no wonder that DreamWorks Animation is ready and willing to bank on the popular Shrek universe with another mainline franchise outing — the first in after more than a decade.

Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots in 'Puss in Boots: The Last Wish' (2022)
Credit: DreamWorks Animation

Related: Fresh Off ‘Puss In Boots’ Comeback, Antonio Banderas Is Already Talking ‘Shrek 5’

The Shrek 5 announcement, and why everyone is losing their minds about “cinema”

Jeffrey Katzenberg’s Disney rival, DreamWorks Animation, is under NBCUniversal — just like Illumination (Super Mario Bros. Movie, Despicable Me). So earlier today, it came down to Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri to drop the big bomb about Shrek 5 (and spinoff Donkey movie) bringing the original cast back together. Meledandri will allegedly be executive producer on the new Shrek movie, just as he did on DreamWorks’ Puss in Boots: The Last Wish — and all of this news is sending members of the public into a real tizzy. As Max M on Twitter puts it with an accompanying edited image of filmmaker Martin Scorsese in 3D glasses:

The Puss in Boots effect is real

The main take-away most are having to news of the fifth Shrek film? The fact that “real cinema” is allegedly “back” — a sentiment mostly perpetuated by the inundation of the film industry with same-y superhero movies and Disney live action remakes. With a dearth of original movies, and the recent announcement of Disney remaking 2016’s Moana in live action — not even seven years since its debut in cinemas — it seems the world is ready for some new ideas. With the film industry rallying against the likes of Marvel Studios, famous superhero-film-hater Martin Scorsese would likely concur, as @MidlajYH seemingly believes, posting an image of Scorsese “praying” with the word “CINEMA” plastered over the meme:

The “return of cinema” is the hottest topic now, with the advent of the new Greta Gerwig-directed Barbie (2023) starring Margot Robbie (Barbie) and Ryan Gosling (Ken) and newly announced to-be-in-talks Puss in Boots follow-up Shrek 5 getting the internet all astir. As @VersaceVenus_ exclaimed on Twitter to nearly 20K likes at the time of writing:

Barbie posters dropped and also Shrek 5 announcement??? REAL CINEMA IS BACK

While Manny Valez responds, excited for the fifth Shrek movie, also mentioning the new, super-hyped Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse trailer that is hinting at a refreshing, brand new take that breaks known genre boundaries — even hinting at a new collaboration with Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland Peter Parker/Spider-Man variants:

Don’t forget that new Spider-Verse trailer!

People just don’t seem too happy about shameless cash-grabs and unnecessary remakes, as @gsmoviefan adds:

Makes up for Harry Potter reboot and live action Moana.

Overall, there appears to be tremendous enthusiasm for the fifth film in the Shrek series, as the cult favorite’s fans are resurfacing in full force, as @KFP_Fanboy shares their Shrek paraphernalia:

i have been waiting so long for this

Are you excited for the original cast back for Shrek 5? Do you think this means “real cinema” is “back”? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

in Movies

Averyl Fong

Averyl is a freelance writer and general nerd about entertainment, food, theatre, D&D - and of course, theme parks. Based in Singapore, she could wax poetic about the immersive genius of the Haunted Mansion, or regale you with her undying love for the campy beauty of Sindbad's Storybook Voyage - but she won't, because she has some compassion.

Comments Off on Fans Rejoice “Return of Cinema” After New ‘Shrek 5’ Update