Shrek fans celebrate news of 5th movie – but some have concerns
With Shrek 5 officially in the works, fans have been reacting to the news of the long-awaited sequel.
The internet went wild yesterday (Tuesday 4th April) as reports emerged that Shrek 5 is officially in the works at DreamWorks, 13 years after Shrek Forever After arrived in cinemas.
Speaking with Variety, Chris Meledandri, founder of Illumination and creative partner to DreamWorks animation, revealed that the studio is hoping to reunite the original cast of Shrek in a new, fifth film in the franchise.
He said: "It’s not that dissimilar to the process that we went through with Mario, where you look at what the core elements are that audiences have loved, and you do your very best to honour those core elements. And then you’re hard at work to build story elements and new characters that take you to brand new places. The original cast is a huge part of that.
"We anticipate the cast coming back. Talks are starting now, and every indication that we’ve gotten is there’s tremendous enthusiasm on behalf of the actors to return."
Taking to Twitter to celebrate the news, many Shrek fans reacted in a similar vein, saying: "Barbie posters dropped and also Shrek 5 announcement??? REAL CINEMA IS BACK".
One fan simply said "I’m excited for this!", while another added: "woke up to shrek 5 announcement… best news i’ve gotten in years".
Read more:
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However, there were some who had concerns that the franchise was done and should be left in the past. One Twitter user said: "I don’t know how I feel about there being a #Shrek5 I feel like Shrek is a thing of the past & should be left where it is."
Meanwhile, on a Reddit thread, one poster said they had "no interest in it", while another was more balanced, saying they were "somewhat optimistic".
They continued: "Yeah, Shrek 3 and 4 were a bit disappointing (especially the former), but DreamWorks has gotten a lot better at making movies since then, and Puss in Boots the Last Wish is a great film. So if they keep that up, a good Shrek sequel could happen."
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Since Shrek Forever After was released, two spin-off films, Puss in Boots and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, have arrived in cinemas, with the most recent of the two receiving a rapturous critical reception.
The ending of that film appeared to tease a fifth film in the Shrek series, with Puss seen returning to Far Far Away to "see some old friends".
Antonio Banderas responded to the possibility of a new Shrek film when speaking with RadioTimes.com earlier this year, saying: "As the movie indicates towards the end when you see Far Far Away, they are going to visit some old friends at the end of the movie – maybe Shrek is coming back.
"I don't know, there are many different possibilities open for these characters to continue, but that doesn't depend on me, that is something that the audience chooses in a way."
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
