Is Shrek 5 still happening? Dreamworks announced that they do have plans to bring back this beloved ogre on the big screen in 2016. Since then, however, the studio has been pretty quiet about the development leaving fans to wonder if a fifth installment is still going to happen.
The last time moviegoers saw a Shrek movie was in 2010 when the fourth film came out. According to Radio Times, Shrek 5 was supposed to be aimed for release in 2019 but it's down to the last quarter of the year and there is still no word from the studio.
Further reports revealed that the delay could be because Shrek 5 is not a sequel but a reboot. Apparently, there are plans to start the franchise on a clean slate as part of its "reinvention." With Dreamworks animation changing ownership in 2016, the studio did confirm that Shrek 5 will be a reboot.
"The challenge for us has been to find something that really does feel like it's not simply yet another film in a series of sequels," said producer Chris Melendandri, who also worked on Despicable Me.
Despite the do-over, Shrek 5 is supposed to include its original stars: Mike Myers (as Shrek), Eddie Murphy (as Donkey) and Antonio Banderas (as Puss in Boots). It's still unclear if Cameron Diaz (as Fiona) would be willing to return as the actress has been retired since getting married in 2015.
Michael McCullers has been retained as the screenwriter for Shrek 5. He had been actively developing the next installment since 2016 before Dreamworks changed hands.
The scribe and Myers previously worked together in the Austin Powers franchise. McCullers said the new film could be a reinvention of the franchise. While he almost had the story down to pat the last time, this latest development suggests that he'll have to start from scratch.
Shrek debuted in the box office in 2001 and was a different kind of fairy tale that clicked even with the adults. The story was loosely patterned after a children's book by William Steig. Aside from being a hit with moviegoers, Shrek was also a critical success that it earned a sequel in 2004, 2007 and 2010.
The second Shrek movie earned a similar success with the moviegoers and critics. The franchise was consistently a commercial hit despite some negative reviews for the third and fourth installments. Shrek also had special holiday-themed short film releases, as well as a spin-off Puss in Boots.
