Shrek is a computer-animated fantasy film released in 2001, loosely adapted from William Steig’s 1990 fairy tale picture book of the same name. Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson in their debut, the film features the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow. It serves as a parody of many animated Disney films and other children’s fantasy stories.
The story centers on Shrek, an ogre voiced by Myers, whose swamp is overrun by various fairy-tale creatures banished there by the villainous Lord Farquaad, voiced by Lithgow. To reclaim his home, Shrek strikes a deal with Farquaad to deliver a princess, Princess Fiona, voiced by Diaz. Accompanied by a talkative donkey voiced by Murphy, Shrek embarks on a journey to find Fiona. As they travel, Shrek begins to develop feelings for her and uncovers a surprising secret about Fiona.
The rights to Steig’s book were initially acquired by Steven Spielberg in 1991, before DreamWorks’ founding, with plans for a traditional animated adaptation. In 1994, Jeffrey Katzenberg convinced Spielberg to bring the project to DreamWorks, and the studio began development in 1995 after acquiring the rights. Originally, Chris Farley was cast as Shrek and recorded nearly all of his dialogue. After Farley’s untimely death in 1997, Mike Myers was cast and eventually decided to deliver his performance with a Scottish accent. The film was initially conceived as a motion-captured project, but due to unsatisfactory results, DreamWorks enlisted Pacific Data Images to develop the final CG look.
Shrek played a pivotal role in establishing DreamWorks Animation as a major competitor to Pixar in feature film animation. It grossed approximately $484.4 million worldwide against a budget of $60 million. Critics praised the film for its appeal to adults—featuring humor and themes suitable for mature audiences—while remaining accessible to children. It made history as the first animated film to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, also earning nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay. Additionally, it received six BAFTA nominations, winning Best Adapted Screenplay and receiving a nod for Eddie Murphy’s supporting voice performance as Donkey.
The overwhelming success of Shrek led to 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), and a spin-off featuring Puss in Boots (2011). A planned fifth installment, announced as the concluding chapter, was canceled in 2009 but was revived in 2016 with a tentative release window of 2019 or 2020.
Beyond the films, Shrek’s popularity spurred a wide range of merchandise, including video games, a stage musical, and a comic book adaptation by Dark Horse Comics. In recognition of its cultural impact, the character of Shrek was awarded his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in May 2010.
