I Don’t Know What To Expect From Shrek 5 After The Franchise’s Latest Movie Was So Much Better Than All The Others

It has been near a decade for the reason that final chapter, however Shrek 5 will reacquaint audiences with the land far, far-off. It is definitely thrilling, however I am nonetheless struggling to know what to anticipate from the upcoming blockbuster after how good Puss in Boots: The Final Want was. For sure, Shrek changed animated movies forever and has since seen a group of sequels in its wake. Admittedly, Shrek 2 is my favourite movie within the franchise, so I’d argue that is the place the primary story peaks — with Puss in Boots 2 being the first installment to meet the quality of Shrek 2.

Within the higher scheme of issues, the standard of the Shrek franchise is inconsistent throughout its varied installments. The second movie could also be universally adored, however the identical cannot be stated for its succeeding films, Shrek the Third and Shrek Ceaselessly After. Each chapters fail to ship the satirical grownup humor and whimsy that helped the primary two change into so profitable, and the introduction of Antonio Banderas’ Puss in Boots in Shrek 2 has change into one of many franchise’s most important selections. With the dearth of affirmation that Puss will return to the Shrek 5 cast, I am fearful about the way forward for the franchise.

Puss in Boots: The Final Want Units The Bar Too Excessive For Shrek 5

Puss in Boots: The Final Want Completely Captures The Essence Of A Shrek Film

Puss in Boots: The Final Want has the very best score of any Shrek film, when it comes to vital and viewers scoring, on the assessment aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. Not solely is that this a tricky act to observe, however I personally discovered it remarkably tough to seek out a lot criticism on-line about Puss in Boots 2 after its premiere in December 2022. Contemplating Shrek 5 would be the latest entry to the franchise after The Final Want, it’s attainable that many viewers, like myself, will discover it more and more tempting to measure the variations between the 2 tasks.

I might cause that Puss in Boots 2 noticed such an excellent efficiency as a result of the film has a nostalgic attraction that doesn’t overshadow its easy but compelling story and exceptionally likable characters. This film charts a brand new course by intentionally avoiding the acquainted territory of fairy story tropes and gives every character the depth wanted to discover their needs for the Wishing Star. To not point out, Puss in Boots 2 has a significant benefit when it comes to animation, the place its extra fashionable model garnered big ranges of acclaim, together with an Academy Award nomination for Finest Animated Function.

Why Puss in Boots: The Final Want Was So Completely different From Earlier Shrek Films

The Wolf, AKA Dying, Is Genuinely Chilling To Watch

A compelling villain has all the time been the core of the Shrek films, and whereas the earlier installments do have entertaining antagonists, they don’t have any lasting impression as soon as the credit start to roll. The Wolf in Puss in Boots 2 is tremendously totally different from earlier antagonists in Shrek, although, because the villain in The Final Want embodies far higher darkness and menace than seen in different films. The Wolf (Wagner Moura) is the bodily manifestation of demise, and he’s used sparingly all through the movie. Nevertheless, his fixed lurking and delicate presence successfully builds a really actual sense of dread.

Director Joel Crawford has brazenly mentioned the totally different path for Puss in Boots: The Final Want. Talking with Total Film, Crawford spoke concerning the significance of the Wolf and his intention to “introduce a brand new tone to the story […] [that audiences] have not skilled […] within the Shrek or Puss in Boots world up up to now.” Dying’s presence definitely subverted any expectations we’d have had for a Shrek film, and its themes of mortality finally resonated with its viewers, who’ve grown up with the franchise over the previous twenty years.

Shrek 5 Does not Want To Be Like Puss in Boots 2 To Be Nice

Shrek 5 Will Nonetheless Be One Of The Most Anticipated Films Of 2026

For all of the skepticism across the upcoming film, I admit that Shrek 5 continues to be an extremely thrilling enterprise. The latest venture will profit from arriving 25 years after the unique movie, and a exceptional 16 years after the most recent film, Shrek Ceaselessly After, that means audiences can be desperate to see what’s in retailer for these beloved characters. There are many routes that Shrek 5 can take with out making reference to Puss in Boots 2, and the success of Puss in Boots: The Final Want merely serves as a reminder that the franchise nonetheless has extra to supply.

Though the film’s best problem can be discovering a villain as compelling because the Wolf, Shrek 5 has loads of different parts that it might depend on for achievement. If the film gives a contemporary story, a brand new visible model, and the identical high-quality music it all the time has, Shrek 5 might really reinvent the entire franchise. We are able to stay hopeful that the studio will be taught from the success of Puss in Boots: The Final Want, and combine numerous options of this sequel’s animation model whereas sustaining the essence of what really makes a Shrek movie.

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Shrek 5

Launch Date

July 1, 2026

Director

Walt Dohrn, Brad Ableson

Writers

Michael McCullers, Christopher Meledandri, William Steig