With a reboot still in the works, moviegoers are wondering how Shrek 5 might impact the franchise's legacy as one of the most iconic movies of the 21st century. For the last two decades, the Shrek films have remained immensely popular, forming the basis of many memes, plays, and even holiday specials.
When the franchise is finally rebooted, it begs the question of what will change and what will remain the same. Some characters are so iconic, even though they may not have gotten much screen time in the original film series, and it would be a shame to see them go. As the reboot comes to fruition, there are some characters they should consider for a spin-off.
Magic Mirror
The Magic Mirror makes its debut appearance in the very first Shrek film where it gives Lord Farquad his options for eligible bachelorettes. While the mirror clearly aims to please his master, it does seem a little hesitant to help Lord Farquaad, and seems much happier at the end when it switches sides.
For the later movies, the mirror's main purpose seems to be mostly as a form of TV, but with so much character shown in the first film, it would be great to see some more of the object's backstory, or even just their tale after being freed from Lord Farquaad. Maybe the mirror wouldn't be able to hold a whole spin-off movie, but at least an episode or two of a spin-off show would give some great background for this unique character.
Queen Lillian
In Shrek 2, fans are introduced to Fiona's parents. Throughout the film, a lot is revealed about her father, but not so much about Queen Lillian. It's noted that she was born into royalty and fell in love with Harold when she was younger, but other than that, most of her younger life is a mystery.
Each Shrek character has a personality-defining quote, and Lillian's shows her calm nature and regal attitude. It's fair to say that fans would be excited to see a film about young Queen Lillian after learning so much about Harold. Eespecially after she made the mysterious comment of "Well, you didn't think you got your fighting skills from your father, did you?" to Fiona in Shrek the Third.
The Gingerbread Man
Also known as Gingy, the Gingerbread Man is one of Shrek and Donkey's closest friends. Gingy seems to have many sides, from being exceptionally loyal to not being afraid to go on the offensive despite his small size. His torture scene set the comedic tone for the film which is a fact many people don't know about Shrek.
Having a film that stars him and his creation would be ideal because fans could see if he was always like this, or if he went through some hardship to make him so loyal and tough. It would also be great to see his relationship with the Muffin Man some more since he got excited to see him in Shrek 2 when he went to make Mongo.
Ugly Stepsister
The Ugly Stepsister, also known as Doris, isn't one of the most prominent characters in the films, but she makes enough of an impact to never be forgotten by viewers. She eventually becomes good friends with Fiona and even makes an appearance at her baby shower. Even though she is not a princess, she fights alongside Fiona, one of the best non-Disney animated princesses.
Seeing Doris' backstory would make for a great spin-off because there is clearly an interesting tale behind how she ended up working as a bartender at one of the toughest establishments in town. Seeing her relationship with the other step-sister and Cinderella would also make for a great spin-off as well, it might even create a version of Cinderella that fans have not seen before.
Three Blind Mice
The Three-Blind Mice come and go throughout the Shrek movies, and there is no doubt that their appearances are always humorous. From the moment they sneak into Shrek's house and one bites his ear thinking it's cheese to their assignment of being some of the ones to watch over the swamp while Fiona and Shrek go to Far, Far Away.
The trio of blind rodents would be able to hold their own spin-off solely due to their curious nature as well as the high level of jokes that they provide. Although the glasses and canes are due to the fact they are blind, depending on how old they are, there is no doubt that these mice have some good stories, although they may not be entirely factually correct.
Thelonious
Thelonious more than deserves some more screen time. He really only shows up in the first film as Lord Farquaad's henchman and executioner, though he does make a brief appearance in the fourth movie playing a similar role.
Thelonious delivers an iconic moment during the magic mirror scene when he says, "Pick number three, my Lord" while only holding up two fingers. This scene is a classic, but it begs the question of whether it was a simple mistake or if that is just how Thelonious is. Getting his own show or movie would make for great viewing as he brings a unique character to the screen that fans haven't seen much of so far.
The Three Little Pigs
One of the oldest fairytales is The Three Little Pigs. They are part of the many fairytale creatures that get sent to Shrek's swamp in the first film and end up being in Shrek's life.
They seem to have a knack for fighting and helping people escape as seen in the second and third films. Where they got these skills and a dive into their past is what would make great content for a spin-off. Their German accents allude to the fact that they are from somewhere near there, so perhaps any content featuring them could see the character's taking a trip to Fairytale Europe.
Fairy Godmother
One of the most prominent antagonists of the Shrek franchise is the Fairy Godmother. Although at the end of Shrek 2 she gets turned into bubbles, it's unclear as to whether that means she is dead or not. With her charisma and bubbly personality, and many scenes that show off Fairy Godmother's so-bad-she's-good attitude, she could definitely handle her own spin-off.
It could be about her life with Prince Charming pre-Shrek 2 or a sequel explaining what really happened, plenty of ideas could work for the character. Although it would perhaps be most interesting to learn about her life before, how she ended up with a son, and how she ended up as a fairy godmother.
Pinnochio
Donkey and Shrek's closest friend seems to end up being Pinnochio, the wooden puppet. Throughout the films, he seems rather happy just chilling with Shrek and the other fairytale creatures, which is different than the original fairytale where he seeks to be a real boy and lives with his creator Geppetto.
Seeing what his life was like before Geppetto sold him and where along the way he lost his drive to become a real boy would make for quite a spin-off. There has already been a decent amount of Pinnochio in the films, but there is still plenty more to learn about his past.
Donkey
As Shrek's best friend, Donkey gets lots of screen time, but there are many parts of his life that fans don't get to see. From living with the old lady who tried to sell him to many parts of his relationship with Dragon, there are lots of gaps that fans just have to piece together. Although sometimes, it seems as though Shrek may be Donkey's whole world, he does have a life outside of him and Fiona.
His relationship with the other fairytale creatures is something else that fans don't get to see a lot of, and it would be very interesting to see all these relationships form, thrive, and grow. Donkey is one of the most beloved characters in the Shrek franchise so that in itself would help him to be able to carry his own spin-off.