With the upcoming release of Puss in Boots 2 this fall, Shrek 5 could finally become a reality. Set to premiere on September 23, 2022, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish just revealed its first trailer. The Puss in Boots sequel will follow the cat outlaw’s adventures after realizing that he has used eight of his nine lives. Due to this, he will set off on a quest to find the magical Last Wish and restore all of his lives.
In contrast, there is no concrete information surrounding Shrek 5. Originally, Shrek's creators planned for the film series to include five movies, but this number was later reduced to 4 with Shrek Forever After seemingly finishing the series in 2010. In 2016, though, DreamWorks announced that they were working on Shrek 5. Eddie Murphy, the voice of Donkey, even confirmed that the movie should premiere sometime in 2019 or 2020. While this did not happen, there are rumors that a new Shrek movie is currently in development at Universal Pictures, which now owns DreamWorks.
Based on this slow progress, Puss in Boots, a spin-off of Shrek, now seems to be doing better than its source material. Although there is an 11-year gap between Puss in Boots and Puss in Boots 2, it has been 12 years since Shrek Forever After premiered, and Shrek 5 still does not have a set release date. However, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish may spur the production of Shrek 5 by not only revitalizing the Shrek franchise but also introducing new possibilities for plots and characters.
Puss in Boots 2 presents an opportunity for DreamWorks to reinvent the Shrek franchise. With a new animation style and greater emphasis on comedy, some fans are already excited to see how Puss in Boots: The Last Wish will update the beloved character. In addition, Puss in Boots 2 has a star-studded cast with both Antonio Banderas (Puss) and Salma Hayek (Kitty Softpaws) returning to reprise their roles alongside newcomers like Harvey Guillén, Florence Pugh, and Olivia Colman. This should help attract more viewers, reigniting interest in the Shrek Franchise. If Puss in Boots: The Last Wish performs well, it will prove that it is not too late to continue exploring characters like Puss and his friends, paving the way for Shrek 5.
If DreamWorks does make Shrek 5, it will most likely follow Puss in Boots 2’s model. To make the story unique, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish will expand the Shrek universe and introduce a new style. Similarly, Shrek’s creators have explained in previous interviews (via Variety) that they do not want to make “simply yet another film in a series of sequels.” Due to this, ideas for Shrek 5 have included a prequel about Shrek’s origin story or a reboot to re-explore Shrek’s popular characters. While there are currently no set plans for Shrek 5, Puss in Boots 2 may provide DreamWorks with the motivation to continue developing the beloved franchise.