Shrek is an American computer-animated fantasy film released in 2001, inspired loosely by William Steig’s 1990 fairy tale picture book of the same name. Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson—marking their first ventures into directing—the film features the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow. It serves as a playful parody of traditional fairy tales and animated Disney movies, offering a humorous twist on classic stories.
The story centers on Shrek, an ogre voiced by Myers, who lives peacefully in his swamp until it becomes overrun by banished fairy tale creatures sent there by the villainous Lord Farquaad, voiced by Lithgow. To reclaim his home, Shrek strikes a deal with Farquaad to retrieve Princess Fiona, voiced by Diaz, and bring her to him. Accompanied by a talkative donkey named Donkey, voiced by Murphy, Shrek embarks on the quest, during which he begins to develop feelings for Fiona and uncovers a surprising secret about her.
The rights to Steig’s book were initially acquired by Steven Spielberg in 1991, before the founding of DreamWorks, with plans for a traditionally animated adaptation. However, in 1994, John H. Williams persuaded Spielberg to bring the project to DreamWorks, which was established that same year. Jeffrey Katzenberg quickly took charge of the project once the studio acquired the rights in 1995. Originally, Chris Farley was cast to voice Shrek and recorded about 80-90% of the film’s dialogue. Sadly, Farley passed away in 1997 before completing his work, leading to Mike Myers stepping in. After recording his initial lines, Myers chose to voice Shrek with a Scottish accent. The film was initially conceived as a motion-capture project, but because of unsatisfactory results, the studio enlisted Pacific Data Images to develop the final computer-animated look.
Shrek marked a significant milestone for DreamWorks Animation, establishing it as a serious contender to Pixar in the realm of feature film animation. The film grossed approximately $484.4 million worldwide against a production budget of $60 million, earning widespread critical acclaim for appealing to adult audiences through its witty jokes and mature themes, while remaining accessible to children with its straightforward humor.
In recognition of its groundbreaking achievement, Shrek became the first animated film to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and was also nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. Additionally, it received six BAFTA nominations, including one for Eddie Murphy’s voice performance as Donkey, and won the BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
The film’s tremendous success led to the creation of three sequels—Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek the Third (2007), and Shrek Forever After (2010)—along with two holiday specials, Shrek the Halls (2007) and Scared Shrekless (2010). It also spawned a spin-off featuring Puss in Boots (2011). Plans for a fifth film, initially canceled in 2009 as the series was supposed to conclude with the fourth, were revived in 2016 with a projected release around 2019 or 2020.
Beyond films, Shrek’s popularity extended into various merchandise, including video games, a stage musical, and a comic book adaptation by Dark Horse Comics. In recognition of his cultural impact, the character of Shrek was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in May 2010.
