Antonio Banderas is teasing the possibility of Shrek 5 following the recent success of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. The actor has voiced the feline character since Shrek 2, appearing in all of its sequels and starring in the 2011 spinoff, Puss in Boots. Directed by Joel Crawford, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish serves as the sixth film in the Shrek franchise and observes Banderas' titular cat as he searches to find the one thing that could restore his nine lives. Praised by critics and audiences alike, the move has gone on to earn an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature Film.
Given the success of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and the franchise's vocal fanbase, theories surrounding a new Shrek movie have begun swirling. In a recent interview with Radio Times, Banderas talked about the idea of another sequel and touched on the ending of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, suggesting that Shrek or other beloved characters could return. Read Banderas' comments regarding a potential Shrek 5 below:
"It doesn't depend on me, normally sequels are chosen by the audience. [But] if they go to the movie theatre massively in the way that they are responding to Puss in Boots probably this could lead to the possibility of another movie with Puss... Or 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."
What Characters Could Return To The Shrek Franchise?
As Banderas noted, the ending of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish seemingly set up another Shrek film. After facing the Wolf and defeating Horner, Puss in Boots headed to Far Far Away with Kitty (Salma Hayek) and Perrito (Harvey Guillén), which implies that those two might stick around. This also suggests that a potential Shrek 5 could be a different experience, with new characters being incorporated. The last time they were all together was in 2010's Shrek Forever After, a movie that featured an alternate reality and concluded with Shrek being with his family.
It seems unlikely that a fifth Shrek movie would be made without the involvement of Mike Myers or Cameron Diaz, who famously voiced Shrek and Fiona. When it comes to other characters reconnecting with Puss in Boots, several fan favorites include Gingerbread Man (Conrad Vernon), Pinocchio and the Three Little Pigs (Cody Cameron), and Donkey (Eddie Murphy). Following the release of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Murphy did express interest in making another Shrek, so it will be interesting to see if a new entry comes to fruition.
Banderas' comments about the possibility of a sequel should excite fans who have been hoping to return to Far Far Away for a while now. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish utilized a different animation style from the rest of the Shrek franchise, so it is worth wondering what a new movie would look like, should some of the original characters reappear. Shrek has not lost any of its popularity, and given the box office performance of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, it seems likely that a Shrek 5 would be just as successful.
Source: Radio Times