The Shrek franchise kicked things off with its first movie in 2001. The movie's pop culture references and its parody of fairytale clichés made Shrek a critical and financial success. It seemed like DreamWorks had a franchise that would be popular for years to come. Sadly, the Shrek franchise didn't pan out as such.
While Shrek 2 improved on its predecessor, the rest of the franchise couldn't top the success of the first two installments. Shrek Forever After ended Shrek's presence on the big screen in 2010. Although DreamWorks tried to keep the franchise alive with television specials and spin-offs, nothing could recapture Shrek's former glory. With theme park rides, TV spin-offs, films, specials, and a Broadway show, it can be hard to keep track of the Shrek franchise.
8 Shrek (2001) Proved To Be One Of A Kind
Shrek followed the titular ogre after his swamp was invaded by a horde of fairytale creatures who were exiled there by the villainous Lord Farquaad of Duloc. To get his swamp back, Shrek goes on a quest to rescue Princess Fiona so that Farquaad could marry her.
Shrek had some stellar voice acting, a catchy soundtrack, and well-timed humor behind it. In addition to its modern lingo and fairytale parody, Shrek added twists and life lessons that molded the film into something unique. The effectiveness of Shrek and Fiona's dynamic is established in the franchise's first installment and remains a constant throughout.
7 Shrek 2 (2004) Pushed The Envelope Further
Shrek 2 saw newlyweds Shrek and Fiona traveling to the kingdom of Far Far Away to meet the latter's parents and celebrate their marriage. Unfortunately, given that the two remained ogres, relationships between the parties get tense.
Shrek 2 increases the best aspects of its predecessor tenfold. The talented voice actors expertly bring the characters to life and the fairytale parody is even cleverer, lending itself to some quick-witted jokes. Shrek and Fiona's dynamic develops in Shrek 2, which was a delight for viewers to watch.
6 Shrek The Third (2007) Took A Step Backward
Shrek the Third (2007) follows Shrek as he sets off to find Arthur Pendragon, the heir to the throne, after Fiona's father dies. While traveling, Shrek grapples with Fiona's sudden pregnancy. Meanwhile, Prince Charming rallies a bunch of fairytale villains to exact revenge.
Shrek the Third has a great deal going on, with many subplots being developed. Unfortunately, the film lacks the wit and cleverness seen in previous films. While Arthur and the wizard Merlin are enjoyable characters backed by good voice actors, they aren't as beloved as the characters in Shrek and Shrek 2.
5 Shrek The Halls (2007) Is DreamWorks' First Animated TV Special
Shrek the Halls (2007) was DreamWorks' first animated TV special. It involved Shrek trying to host a good Christmas for his family. As far as Christmas specials go, Shrek the Halls has the energy to pull its audience into the holiday spirit, boasting the typical antics associated with the franchise for its audiences to enjoy.
Shrek the Halls' animation features vibrant colors associated with the holiday, but the special is much simpler than other Shrek plots. Shrek the Third made people doubt Shrek's staying power and while this special was a step in the right direction, it didn't do enough to restore fans' faith.
4 Shrek Forever After Ended (2010) The Shrek Movies
Shrek Forever After (2010) saw Shrek bored with his domesticated lifestyle and yearning for the glory days of being a scary ogre. Rumpelstiltskin tricks him into signing a contract that sends him into an alternate world where he doesn't exist. With everyone's lives turned upside down, Shrek has to acquire a true love's kiss before reality catches up and he fades away forever.
The setup for Forever After had potential. Shrek's dilemmas and the alternate world successfully made established characters feel new. Unfortunately, Forever After doesn't have much fresh humor or heart. On top of that, the whole film contradicts previously-established facts, like how long it took Shrek to rescue Fiona from the tower.
3 Scared Shrekless (2010) Made An Honest Effort
Scared Shrekless (2010) was the second Shrek-related TV special. It involved Shrek and other characters holding a contest to see who could tell the scariest story. The various stories told are clever parodies of classic horror movies. The animation was good, and the creepy rendition of the Duloc song from the first Shrek movie elicits some laughs.
However, Scared Shrekless is not something that pushes Shrek to a new level. More disappointing is that the voice of Donkey, the talented Eddie Murphy, did not reprise his role. Given the franchise's state on the big screen, it needed something more to be as well-received as previous Shrek installments.
2 Puss In Boots (2011) Packed Abundant Charm
In 2011, Puss in Boots, who debuted in Shrek 2, was given a spin-off movie. Puss in Boots focused on the titular cat, his friend Humpty Dumpty, and a cat burglar named Kitty Softpaws. The trio attempt to find a goose that lays a golden egg to restore Puss' good name after he's accused of bank robbery.
Puss in Boots had a good voice cast behind it. Similar to the rest of the franchise post-Shrek 2, it did not break new ground. Nonetheless, it had a vibrant color scheme, effective wit, and a riveting story. It has little to do with the Shrek franchise but is capable of standing on its own two feet.
1 The Adventures Of Puss In Boots (2015) Is A Delightful Kids' Romp
2015 saw Puss in Boots get a TV spin-off. The Adventures of Puss in Boots involved Puss protecting the town of San Lorenzo after inadvertently revealing its hidden treasure to the world. While the story and characters are relatively simple, the series has good messages for its younger audience, and the jokes are decent. Puss in Boots has a different voice actor for this series, but the character still feels familiar.
However, The Adventures of Puss in Boots lacks progression for the story or characters, and its animation is a tad choppy, even for a television series. It is rather underwhelming because DreamWorks has shown how much they can do with this character and the Shrek franchise, but the spin-off is still a delightful kids' romp.