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Shrek film series
2007 poster of characters from the Shrek universe
Directed by	Andrew Adamson (1-2) Chris Miller (The Third) Mike Mitchell (Forever After)
Written by	William Steig (book)
Starring	Mike Myers Eddie Murphy Cameron Diaz Antonio Banderas Julie Andrews (More)
Music by	Harry Gregson-Williams John Powell
Editing by	Michael Andrews Sim Evan-Jones
Distributed by	DreamWorks Animation
Release date(s)	May 18, 2001 (2001-05-18) (Shrek) 02003-06-12 June 12, 2003 (Shrek 4-D) 02004-05-19 May 19, 2004 (Shrek 2) 02007-05-18 May 18, 2007 (Shrek The Third) 02007-11-28 November 28, 2007 (Shrek the Halls) 02010-05-21 May 21, 2010 (Shrek Forever After)
Running time	270 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$370,000,000(as of 2008)
Gross revenue	$2,161,714,655 (as of 2008)

The Shrek film series from DreamWorks Animation, based on William Steig's picture book, Shrek!, consists of a number of films including: Shrek (2001), Shrek 2 (2004), and Shrek the Third (2007). The final film Shrek Forever After is currently in post-production, aiming for release in 2010.^[1] A short 3D movie, 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. Spin-off film Puss in Boots: The Story of an Ogre Killer, expected to be released in 2011.

Released Films

Shrek

Shrek (Mike Myers), a solitary ogre, finds a surprise when fairy tale creatures are sent to live in his swamp by the evil Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow). Shrek befriends a talking Donkey (Eddie Murphy), and the two set off to meet with Lord Farquaad. Lord Farquaad needs Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) to marry him so that 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. However Donkey escapes and Dragon chases them.

Once Shrek and Donkey rescue 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 ogress at night. The only way the curse can be broken is by true love's 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 ogress permanently. Shrek gets his swamp back, and the two marry there. After a karaoke party the two set off on their honeymoon, starting the second movie.

Shrek 2

The second film opens with Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) on a quest to rescue Princess Fiona from the Dragon. When he gets there he finds the wolf (Aron Warner) 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 (Mike Myers). Once Shrek and Fiona (Cameron Diaz) return from their honeymoon, they find Donkey (Eddie Murphy) 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 (John Cleese and Julie Andrews) 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 (Jennifer Saunders), 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 (Antonio Banderas). They have a lengthy quest to search the Fairy Godmother's cottage to get a love potion. At the end of the movie, King Harold turns into a frog.

Shrek the Third

Shrek (Mike Myers) and Fiona (Cameron Diaz) are reluctantly reigning over Far, Far Away during King Harold's (John Cleese) prolonged illness. The King promises that if they can find Fiona's cousin Artie (Justin Timberlake), he will make him the next in line, so Shrek doesn't have to run the country after his death. Fiona's secret pregnancy complicates matters.

Upcoming films

Shrek Forever After

Shrek Forever After is currently in post-production, aiming for release on May 21, 2010.^[2][3] Tim Sullivan will write the film, and Mike Mitchell is in talks to direct.^[4] The principal cast members will all reprise their roles.^[5]

The plot was announced February 23, 2009: Shrek (Mike Myers) has become a domesticated family man, living happily with Princess Fiona and the triplets. Instead of scaring villagers away like he used to, a reluctant Shrek now agrees to autograph pitch forks. Longing for the days when he felt like a "real ogre," Shrek is tricked into signing a pact with the smooth-talking dealmaker, Rumpelstiltskin. Shrek suddenly finds himself in a twisted, alternate version of Far Far Away, where ogres are hunted, Rumplestiltskin is king and Shrek and Fiona (Cameron Diaz) have never met. Now, it's up to Shrek to undo all of Rumpelstiltskin's mischief in the hopes of saving his friends, restoring his world and reclaiming his one True Love and family.^[6]

There were plans for a fifth film as well, but those ideas were scrapped, and now this will be the final film in the Shrek series.^[7]

Puss in Boots: Story of an Ogre Killer

An in-development prequel imagines events before the character's appearance in the events of Shrek 2, while introducing new characters. Antonio Banderas returns, Salma Hayek will lend her voice to love interest Kitty, and Zack Galifianakis is set to voice Humpty Dumpty. Shrek the Third helmer Chris Miller is onboard to direct the film. It is scheduled to be released on November 4, 2011.^[8]

Spin-Offs

Shrek 4-D

Shrek the Halls

Release

Critical reception

Cast and characters

• Italics indicate a transition to a minor role, such as an extended flashback, after the initial appearance.
• A dark gray cell indicates the character was not voiced in the film.

Broadway

A musical entitled Shrek the Musical, based on the first film, recently had a pre-Broadway tryout in Seattle at the 5th Avenue Theatre and started previews on Broadway at The Broadway Theatre on November 8, 2008, with an official Broadway opening on December 14, 2008.^[21] The musical had a tryout in Seattle, Washington in August and September 2008. The musical received eight Tony Award nominations including Best Musical^[22] as well as twelve Drama Desk Awards nominations,^[23] ten Outer Critics Circle Award nominations,^[24] and three Drama League Award nominations.^[25]

References

External links

• Shrek official website