Warning! Spoilers ahead for Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish co-director Joel Crawford addresses whether a third movie could happen following the most recent sequel's success. First introduced in Shrek 2 and then appearing once more in the subsequent sequels, Antonio Banderas' swashbuckling cat got his own spinoff movie in 2011. After starring in several shorts, Banderas returned for Puss in Boots: The Last Wish earlier this year, a movie that earned strong reviews and performed well at the box office, earning over $401 million worldwide.
Speaking to The Playlist, Crawford comments on whether the success of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish will lead to Puss in Boots 3. The director doesn't seem to be aware of any plans at the moment to continue the franchise, but he expresses optimism that Banderas' character will return, potentially meeting up with Mike Myers' Shrek. Check out Crawford's full comment below:
“I don’t know what’s going on with anything after this, but it was all this hopeful thing of we love these characters. We believe in this story that we’re telling and we hope that audiences will engage with it and demand more stories, both with the Puss and Boots side and also with Shrek. I feel like I can say based on the world’s reception of it, that it does feel like they’ve said ‘Yes, we want more,’ which I’m so happy about. But honestly, I hope to keep getting to tell stories with all of these characters.”
How Puss In Boots 2 Sets Up Further Adventures (& Shrek 5)
After defeating Death and realizing that his final remaining life (of an original nine) is worth fighting for, Puss, along with Kitty (Salma Hayek) and Perrito (Harvey Guillén), commandeers a ship from the governor of Del Mar. The trio reveals that they're setting sail to visit "some old friends," hinting at a possible reunion with Shrek, Donkey (Eddie Murphy), Fiona (Cameron Diaz), and the rest of the gang in a future film. The ending even features a shot of the Kingdom Far, Far Away in the distance.
This ending clearly leads more into Shrek 5 than Puss in Boots 3, and Banderas has even hinted at as much, suggesting that the continuation of the franchise and the return of old characters will depend upon how well the most recent sequel performs. Outside of the direct narrative implications of the ending, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish also sets up Shrek 5 in the sense that it shows how to handle a sequel after so many years away. The movie embraced a more unique, hand-drawn approach to its animation and told a story that features a strong emotional journey for its protagonist.
While Puss in Boots: The Last Wish's box office performance makes Shrek 5 look very likely, it's less clear if Puss himself will get another standalone movie. That being said, with Puss's newfound appreciation for life and some trusty new companions, it's certainly possible that a third standalone movie will eventually move forward. Whatever comes next for Puss and the Shrek franchise more broadly, Crawford's film has evidently reignited love for some key characters while also paving the way for future stories.
Source: The Playlist