Shrek (series)

The Shrek series from DreamWorks Animation, based on William Steig's picture book with the same name, consists of four computer-animated films including: Shrek (2001), Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek the Third (2007), and Shrek Forever After (2010). A short 3D film Shrek 4-D, which originally was a theme park ride, was released in 2003. A spin-off project, the Christmas television special Shrek the Halls, premiered on ABC in the USA and worldwide in 2007 to successful ratings as well as another spin-off project, the Halloween television special Scared Shrekless, which premiered on NBC in the USA in 2010. A spin-off film titled Puss in Boots was released in October 2011. A Broadway musical adaptation was also released.

The series primarily focuses on Shrek, a reclusive by kindhearted ogre, who becomes a respected hero with an ever growing collection of friends and family in a fairy tale world in spite of himself.

In May 2010, The New York Times called the principal Shrek characters "brilliantly realized" and said "nearly a decade after the first Shrek film they remain as vital and engaging fusions of image, personality and voice as any character in the history of animation."

The series was a great financial success, being the 12th highest-grossing franchise of all time, and the highest-grossing animated franchise.

Film series

Shrek (2001)

Main article: Shrek (film)

Shrek, a solitary ogre, finds a surprise when fairy tale creatures are sent to live in the 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 he will become king. So when Shrek and Donkey visit him, they are forced to rescue her from an enormous fire-breathing dragon. The Dragon turns out to be a girl, and she falls in love with Donkey. Donkey, Shrek, and Fiona escape, and Dragon chases them.

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

Shrek 2 (2004)

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 the wolf 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 him 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. They have a lengthy quest to search the Fairy Godmother's cottage to get a love potion. At the end of the film, King Harold turns back into a frog.

Shrek the Third (2007)

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't find Fiona's cousin, Artie, he will make him next in line, so Shrek doesn't have to run the country after his death. As Shrek, Donkey, Puss set out to find Artie, Fiona reveals that she is pregnant. Shrek is shocked as he believes he won't be a good father and will ruin his child's life. This is reinforced by his relationship with his father, 'he tried to eat me.' After finding Artie, Artie is frightened of being king, and they end up on a island where they meet Artie's former magic teacher, Merlin. Meanwhile, Charming plots to overthrow Shrek and become king, but this is foiled by Shrek. The film ends with Shrek and Fiona caring for their ogre triplets and joined by Queen Lillian, Donkey, Dragon, The Dronkeys and Puss.

Spin-offs

Puss in Boots (2011)

Main article: Puss in Boots (film)

Puss in Boots is a computer-animated American action comedy film that was released on October 28, 2011. The film is based on and follows the character of Puss in Boots on his adventure with Kitty Softpaws and mastermind Humpty Dumpty before his first appearance in Shrek 2.