Shrek (film series)

Infobox Film
name = Shrek film series


image_size =
caption = 2007 Poster of All Characters in "Shrek" Films
director = Andrew Adamson (1-2)
Chris Miller (3)
Mike Mitchell (4)
producer =
writer = William Steig (book)
narrator =
starring = Mike Myers
Eddie Murphy
Cameron Diaz
Julie Andrews (2-4)
Antonio Banderas (2-4)
John Cleese (2-3)
Rupert Everett (2-3)
Justin Timberlake (3-4)
John Lithgow (1 only)
music = Harry Gregson-Williams
John Powell
cinematography =
editing = Michael Andrews
Sim Evan-Jones
distributor = DreamWorks Animation
released = 2001 - 2013
runtime = 270 minutes
country = USA
language = English
budget = $295 million
gross = $2,161,714,655 (as of 2008)
website = http://www.shrek.com/

The Shrek film series from DreamWorks Animation, based on William Steig's picture book, "Shrek!", consists of eight projects, three of which have been released as feature films: "Shrek" (2001), "Shrek 2" (2004), and "Shrek the Third" (2007). "Shrek Goes Fourth" is currently in pre-production, aiming for release in 2010. "Shrek 5" is a sequel proposed for release in 2013. [Partridge, Des. [http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21859313-5003420,00.html More Shrek set to roll] . "Courier Mail". June 7, 2007. Accessed on Sept. 24, 2008] A spin-off project, the Christmas television special "Shrek The Halls", premiered on ABC in the USA and worldwide in 2007 to successful ratings. One film is in the development phase, "", expected to be released in 2011.

Films

"Shrek"

Shrek (Mike Myers), a solitary ogre, finds a surprise when fairy tale creatures are sent to live in his swamp by the evil Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow). Shrek befriends a talking Donkey (Eddie Murphy), and the two set off to meet with Lord Farquaad. Lord Farquaad needs Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) to marry him so that he will become king. So when Shrek and Donkey visit him, they are forced to rescue her from an enourmous fire-breathing dragon. The Dragon turns out to be a girl and she falls in love with Donkey. However Donkey escapes and Dragon chases them.

Once Shrek and Donkey rescued Fiona they take her back to Lord Farquaad. However, along the way, Shrek falls in love with Fiona. Fiona reveals she is cursed and turns into an ogress at night. The only way the curse can be broken is by true love's first kiss. Fiona and Farquaad have a marriage ceremony; however they are interrupted by Shrek who tells Fiona he loves her. Shrek and Fiona kiss and Fiona turns into an ogress permanently. Shrek gets his swamp back, and the two marry there. After a karaoke party the two set off on their honeymoon.

The film is set in a fairytale world, with funny appearances from commonly known fairytale characters.

"Shrek 2"

The second film opens with Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) on a quest to rescue Princess Fiona from the Dragon. When he gets there he finds the wolf (Aron Warner) from Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs in Fiona’s bed. He asks where Fiona is and the wolf tells him she is on her honeymoon with Shrek (Mike Myers). Once Shrek and Fiona (Cameron Diaz) return from their honeymoon, they find Donkey (Eddie Murphy) in the swamp who tells them he and Dragon are going through a rough patch. They then get invited to the land of Far Far Away by Fiona’s parents (John Cleese and Julie Andrews) who want to bless their marriage. When they arrive Shrek and Fiona aren’t what they expected. The evil Prince Charming and his mother, the Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders), are trying to break up Shrek’s marriage by making Fiona fall in love with Prince Charming. However it doesn’t work and Shrek and Fiona stay together. Shrek and Donkey get a new sidekick called Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas). They have a lengthy quest to search the Fairy Godmother's cottage to get a love potion. At the end of the movie, King Harold turns into a frog.

"Shrek the Third"

Shrek (Mike Myers) and Fiona (Cameron Diaz) are reluctantly reigning over Far, Far Away during King Harold's (John Cleese) prolonged illness. The King promises that if they can find Fiona's cousin Artie (Justin Timberlake), he will make him the next in line, so Shrek doesn't have to run the country after his death. Further complicating matters is a little secret Fiona's been keeping (her pregnancy), but the biggest problem is Prince Charming (Rupert Everett); he's gathered some new partners in crime and Far Far Away is going to go crazy.

hrek Goes Fourth

"Shrek Goes Fourth" is currently in pre-production, aiming for release on May 21, 2010. [cite news |author= Ben Fritz |title=Dreamworks Animation Announces Fall 2010 Title, New "Shrek 4"|url=http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=38922 |publisher= Comingsoon.net |date= 2007-10-31 |accessdate= 2007-10-31] cite news | author= | url= http://www.zap2it.com/movies/news/zap-2010shrek4release,0,223193.story | title= 2010: The Year 'Shrek 4' Made Contact Working title is 'The Next Shrek' | publisher= Zap2it.com | date= 2007-08-02 | accessdate= 2007-08-02] Tim Sullivan will write the film,cite news | author= | url= http://www.comingsoon.net/news/topnews.php?id=8631 | title= Tim Sullivan to Write Shrek 4 | publisher= ComingSoon.net | date= 2005-03-07 | accessdate= 2007-03-21] and Mike Mitchell is in talks to direct. The principal cast members will all reprise their roles. [cite news | author= Mike Sampson | url= http://www.joblo.com/shrek-4-set-for-2010 | title= Shrek 4 set for 2010 | publisher= JoBlo.com | date= 2007-08-02 | accessdate= 2007-08-03] The plot has yet to be announced, but according to Dreamworks co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg, "We will come back to understand how Shrek arrived in that swamp. We will reveal his story," [cite news | author= Richard Brunton | url= http://www.filmstalker.co.uk/archives/2007/05/dreamworks_confirms_shrek_4_an.html | title= DreamWorks confirms Shrek 4 and 5! | publisher= FilmStalker | date= 2007-05-29 | accessdate= 2007-09-08] and Cameron Diaz has reportedly asked for the film to have an eco-friendly storyline about a threatened swamp. [cite web | url=http://www.newsbusters.org/node/12646 | title=Cameron Diaz Wants Eco-Themed Message in 'Shrek 4' | accessdate=2007-12-30] A deleted scene from "Shrek the Third" may be used, in which a talking tree explains that Artie is next in line for the Far Far Away throne. [National Geographic Kids, May 2007 issue] "Shrek Goes Fourth" will be released in both 2-D and Real-D 3-D, as DreamWorks Animation is planning on releasing all their films in 3-D starting in 2009. [cite news |author= Ben Fritz |title=DreamWorks going 3-D in 2009 |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117961023.html?categoryId=13 |publisher= Variety |date= 2007-03-12 |accessdate= 2007-07-12] Katzenberg has confirmed, however, that the film's "primary" release will be in 3-D.Moviehole: [http://www.moviehole.net/interviews/20071120_exclusive_interview_jeffrey_ka.html Exclusive Interview: Jeffrey Katzenberg] . 20 November 2007] .]

Films

hrek Goes Fourth

Broadway

A musical based on the first film recently had a pre-Broadway tryout in Seattle and will open on Broadway in December. [ [http://www.broadway.com/gen/show.aspx?SI=559922 Shrek the Musical] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.shrek.com/ Shrek offical website]