Mike Myers has revealed that he’d be “thrilled” to make more films for the Shrek franchise. Though the 58-year-old actor is perhaps best recognized for his Emmy Award-winning work on SNL, as well as his starring roles in the Wayne’s World and Austin Powers franchises, he has also provided the voice of the titular animated ogre since 2001. His more recent work includes the new Netflix comedy series The Pentaverate, in which he portrays a number of different characters.
Launching in 2001 to become one of the highest-grossing films of that year with an impressive $487.9 million from a budget of $60 million, Shrek also become the first recipient of the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Since then, the franchise has gone on to unleash a further three films, in addition to the spin-off feature Puss in Boots, and a number of short films. Providing the voice of the iconic Scottish ogre since the first instalment, Myers’ co-stars Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz have also faithfully returned to reprise the roles of Donkey and Fiona since 2001.
Now, during an interview with GQ, Myers has revealed his willingness to return to the Shrek franchise. Admitting that he “loved” playing the beloved animated character, Myers said that he felt an affinity with Shrek because of the theme of self-acceptance in the films. Read Myers full quote, below:
"I loved the idea of taking a fairy tale and turning it on its head, and having it be that all the traditional bad guys are good guys, and all the traditional good guys are bad guys. And I realized it's a dramatic role. I mean, halfway through I went, 'There's an emotional center here.' You know the old joke, 'I wouldn't want to be a member of a club that would have me as a member'? I have always felt that way. The concept of going from a self-loathing ogre to a self-accepting ogre was meaningful to me. I love playing Shrek. If I had to do one Shrek a year, I'd be thrilled."
Created by DreamWorks, the Shrek franchise served as the studio’s platform into global renown. Though the last major instalment, Shrek Forever After, released in 2010 to comparatively less success than its predecessors, the franchise remains the studio’s most profitable, with Shrek 2 grossing around $928 million. While a fifth film was rumoured to be in the works as of 2016, news on the project has since fallen silent with focus shifting to the upcoming spin-off sequel, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, starring Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek.
Gearing up to premiere in September 2022, the release of Puss in Boots 2 could allow for return to Shrek 5 idea. After nearly 12 years since the release of Shrek Forever After, fans will be reassured to know that the franchise’s beloved main star remains keen to return, presumably alongside the likes of Banderas. Though it remains to be seen if Murphy and Diaz would be equally as enthused to return, particularly after the former announced her retirement, it’s possible that the studio hopes to take the franchise in a different direction. Still, with Puss in Boots 2 potentially creating other narrative avenues to explore, it’s possible that the Shrek films will receive a new lease of life in coming years, much to the delight of Myers and the fanbase.
Source: GQ