Hello and welcome to Animated, where I explore animation history, classic cartoons and television as well as the artists who shaped the animated worlds we grew up in. Animated is public, so please feel free to share and subscribe.
Hello and welcome to Animated, where I explore animation history, classic cartoons and television as well as the artists who shaped the animated worlds we grew up in. Animated is public, so please feel free to share and subscribe.
After the incredible animation and financial success of Shrek the Third in 2010, DreamWorks decided to return to Far Far Away with what they told us was the final chapter… Look out for 2027, as I think they can’t let a good money maker go!
Shrek the Third had its focus on responsibility and becoming a parent; Shrek Forever After moved the franchise in a different direction by asking a really clever question:
What happens when Shrek gets everything he ever wanted?
This, I think, was a good choice; yes, it is financially successful, but importantly the studio did an extended character arc, which is a brave choice, and DreamWorks didn’t seem afraid to do this with the franchise.
At this point, the franchise had become one of the most valuable properties in animation. Audiences knew and related to the characters inside out, Puss in Boots had become a superstar in his own right, and DreamWorks needed to find a story that felt meaningful rather than simply repeating old ideas.
The result was a film that mixed humour, fantasy and surprisingly mature themes relating to family, regret and an appreciation of what you already have.
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The Plotline
Life appears to be going wonderfully for Shrek.
He has Fiona, three children, loyal friends and is now a respected hero throughout the kingdom. The problem is that Shrek misses the days when people were terrified of him and the unpredictability of his old life. It is great to see this movement as Shrek becomes an adult, where his life is replaced with birthday parties, domestic responsibilities, and villagers constantly asking him to roar on command. I love this pop culture reference here, as animation always reflects pop culture incredibly well.
As he now feels trapped by routine, Shrek encounters the scheming Rumpelstiltskin, who offers him a magical deal. In exchange for one day from his past, Shrek can experience life as a ‘real ogre’ once again. That fairy-tale play the franchise has become so brilliant at is again seen here, but naturally, things are not quite what they seem.
The contract creates an alternate reality where Shrek was never born, and now Rumpelstiltskin rules Far Far Away. The introduction of sci-fi shows that Fiona has become a hardened resistance leader, Donkey doesn’t know him, and Puss in Boots is now far less of an athletic version of his previous self. All of this with the backdrop of ogres being hunted to extinction.
As you can already guess, Shrek suddenly realises that the life he wanted to escape was actually the life he treasures most. Then what follows is a race against time as he attempts to restore reality before it disappears forever.
Why It Stands Out
One of the biggest reasons that we enjoy Shrek Forever After, I think, is because it feels much closer in spirit to the original film. The earlier films are heavily based on fairy-tale parody and pop culture references. In this film, they are still there, of course, but more than anything, it has a strong emotional core.
When the film was released, the original audience was becoming adults themselves, and the makers recognised this, so their attention changed to themes that resonated with older audiences…clever. Shrek was no longer battling a dragon or rescuing a princess; this time, he is wrestling with the fear that life has become mundane.
Using a sci-fi idea allowed DreamWorks to refresh and expand familiar characters without abandoning what made audiences love them in the first place. It all feels like they were asking what made Shrek special before, then rebuilding the franchise around those foundations for that generation.
The Business of Shrek
The box office total was lower than Shrek 2 and Shrek the Third; the fourth film still made a remarkable $756m at the box office alone, which is not bad when production costs were around $165m.
Beyond ticket sales, merchandise, now including theme park attractions, was added to the bottom line.
The fourth instalment did receive a warm welcome from critics, with strong character development and an emotional story.
The fifth in the franchise will hit the big screens in June 2027, showing that the business of Shrek keeps going.
Fun Facts
Rumpelstiltskin is voiced by Walt Dohrn, who had previously worked as a writer and storyboard artist on earlier Shrek films.
Shrek Forever After was the second highest-grossing film in the franchise in foreign cinemas
I hope you enjoyed reading the series on the fantastic Shrek franchise. If you liked these, you might even like Danger Mouse.
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