Shrek seems to be a character who is more popular then ever, with Shrek memes being passed around among the kids like hot cakes. After four movies in the main series, and a Puss in Boots spin-off all the way back in 2011, the handsome swashbuckling cat is back on December 21, 2022 – and the movie has been getting a surprisingly positive reaction from critics.
Antonio Banderas is aware that Puss is going to be a character forever associated with him, just like Zorro. At the Red Sea Film Festival (via Deadline), Banderas said; “I’ve been with this cat for almost 20 years,” he said. “The first time I did Puss in Boots, I was working on Broadway, so I did my first session there. I’ve done five movies now. There is probably gonna be another, and Shrek is probably coming back.”
A fifth Shrek movie has been gestating since around 2016, there were plans for it be released in 2019, but that obviously didn’t happen. If Puss in Boots 2 does well, it could be the galvanising momentum needed to make Shrek 5 happen.
Banderas says; “It was important that I got a mask, a sword, and a cape. And the bad guy was blue eyes, blonde, and spoke perfect English [in The Mask of Zorro]. Puss in Boots is even better because it’s talking to kids, so kids can know that the good guys can also have an accent. And the bad guys can speak perfect English.”
Shrek has become something of a behemoth, with short films, a Puss in Boots interactive television series and even – lest we forget – Shrek the Musical. It seems as though the fanbase is still eager for more, so a fifth movie feels inevitable.
While we wait to find out whether Shrek 5 happens, check out our guide to the best animated movies.