These days in Hollywood, it has become the norm to reboot once popular franchises in hopes of once again catching lightning in a bottle. This is something that Universal Pictures is hoping to do with the immensely successful Shrek franchise.
According to Variety, the studio has hired Despicable Me Producer Chris Meledandri to spearhead new projects for both the Shrek series and its spin-off, Puss in Boots. The goal for Universal and Meledandri is to “reintroduce the lovable ogre and the sword-wielding feline to new generations of moviegoers”.
The Shrek franchise has done wonders for Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy, who provided voice work for the ogre and Donkey respectively. Meledandri was a huge fan of the original cast of the franchise and hopes that they would return:
“When you look back on those vocal performances they’re awesome, and while you certainly could make a case for a complete reinvention, I find myself responding to my own nostalgic feelings of wanting to go back to those characterizations,” explains Meledandri. “The challenge for us has been to find something that really does feel like it’s not simply yet another film in a series of sequels.”
Meledandri ended his interview with Variety by saying:
“There’s a tremendous amount of fun to be had in that world, but it’s a high bar to find a story that’s truly world,” said Meledandri. “You want to find something in the narrative that really feels like a departure.”
Shrek was originally released in 2001 to acclaim from critics and the average moviegoer. Over time, the franchise would spit out three more sequels and a spin-off movie, Puss in Boots.
What are your thoughts on the Shrek and Puss in Boots reboot projects? Were you a fan of the original franchise? Let us know in the comments below!
