Shrek, a 2001 American computer-animated fantasy film, is loosely adapted from William Steig’s 1990 fairy tale picture book of the same name. Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson—marking their debut as directors—the film features the vocal talents of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow. It serves as a playful parody of other children’s fantasy films, especially animated Disney classics.
The story centers on Shrek, an ogre voiced by Myers, who discovers that his swamp has been overrun with fairy tale creatures banished there by the villainous Lord Farquaad, voiced by Lithgow. To reclaim his home, Shrek strikes a deal with Farquaad: he will retrieve a princess—Princess Fiona, voiced by Diaz—and bring her to Farquaad in exchange for the deed to his swamp. Accompanied by a talkative Donkey, voiced by Murphy, Shrek embarks on his quest and eventually discovers that Fiona harbors a surprising secret. As their journey unfolds, Shrek begins to fall in love with Fiona, leading to unexpected revelations.
The rights to Steig’s book were initially acquired by Steven Spielberg in 1991, before DreamWorks was founded, 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 year. Jeffrey Katzenberg quickly initiated active development after DreamWorks secured the rights in 1995. Originally, Chris Farley was cast as Shrek and recorded approximately 80-90% of his lines before his tragic death in 1997. Subsequently, Mike Myers was cast in the role, initially recording with a standard voice but later adopting a distinctive Scottish accent that became iconic for the character.
Initially conceived as a motion-capture production, the project shifted towards computer animation after poor results from early trials. DreamWorks then enlisted Pacific Data Images to help achieve the film’s final animated look. Shrek established DreamWorks Animation as a formidable competitor to Pixar in feature animation, grossing approximately $484.4 million worldwide against a production budget of $60 million. Praised for its appeal to adult audiences through humor and themes alongside a straightforward story for children, the film received critical acclaim.
Shrek made history as the first animated feature to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and was also nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. It received six BAFTA nominations and won the BAFTA for Best Adapted Screenplay, with Murphy earning a nod for Supporting Actor. The film’s success led to three sequels—Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek the Third (2007), and Shrek Forever After (2010)—as well as two holiday specials, Shrek the Halls (2007) and Scared Shrekless (2010), and a spin-off focused on Puss in Boots (2011). A planned fifth installment, intended to be the final chapter, was canceled in 2009 but was revived in 2016 with a tentative release scheduled for 2019 or 2020.
Beyond the screen, Shrek’s popularity spurred a wide range of merchandise, including video games, a stage musical, and a comic book adaptation by Dark Horse Comics. The franchise’s cultural impact was underscored when the film’s protagonist received his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in May 2010.
