The Shrek franchise is a fun riff on many iconic fairy tale characters such as the Big Bad Wolf and the Three Bears. With Shrek's multitude of memorable characters, the series has made many audiences laugh throughout the years.
From the talkative Donkey to the suave Puss in Boots, there is no shortage of funny characters from the Shrek series. Each of them have unique quirks that help them stand out and create hilarious moments. Although some are loved more than others, the whole cast has brought much joy and humor, helping the franchise achieve the popularity it has today.
10 Donkey
Both Annoying & Hilarious
Donkey is one of the most iconic aspects of the Shrek franchise. Based on the donkey from the original Shrek! book, the film version was adapted to be an absolute chatterbox. Without other characters to bounce off, Donkey would likely annoy the audience.
However, the series is good at having Donkey irritate other characters instead and create hilarious interactions, especially with the easily-annoyed Shrek. The writing and Eddie Murphy's acting also help make Donkey much more lovable, with many people still adoring the character.
9 Shrek
A Sarcastic Softie
Without a doubt, the title ogre himself is one of the franchise's best and funniest characters. With his quick wit and sarcastic humor, Shrek never ceases to make the audience laugh. Along with his jokes, Shrek's conversations with others are always a blast to watch.
When interacting with people like Donkey or Rumpelstiltskin, it's always fun watching Shrek hide his annoyance or give sarcastic remarks. To top it off, Shrek's nasty behaviors such as farting and drinking mud lead to some great gross-out humor.
8 Fiona
Not What The Audience Expected
In the first movie, Shrek tells Fiona that she's "not exactly what he expected." In truth, neither did the audience. Fiona's interests are a fun contrast to her initial demeanor as a princess. Following Shrek's themes of "don't judge a book by its cover," Fiona is a princess but subverts what people expected to see from her.
Fiona's a great singer, but her high voice makes birds explode. She was supposed to be rescued, but is an excellent karate fighter. And although Fiona knows "proper" manners, she is just as nasty as Shrek, burping and happy to eat bugs.
7 Lord Farquaad
Definitely Overcompensating For Something
Although Lord Farquaad doesn't do much on his own, that's also the point. He's a tyrannical king who compensates for his own shortcomings. Farquaad may hold power as a king, but it's clear that he can't do anything on his own and has self-esteem issues.
Shrek and Donkey joke about his shortcomings, which also serves as a double entendre for adult viewers. In short, it's hilarious watching someone as small as Farquaad constantly trying to make himself look bigger.
6 Larry King As Doris
An Awesome Ugly Stepsister
Doris, one of Cinderella's ugly stepsisters, is a hilarious take on the character from the original fairy tale. Although unappealing to others, Doris keeps a warm smile and is a joy to watch on-screen.
The Shrek 2 artists gave Doris a design distinct from other versions, while the character herself exudes an incredibly positive attitude that makes her a joy to watch on-screen. The Shrek series also has her voiced by none other than the late Larry King, who did a phenomenal job bringing Doris to life.
5 Puss In Boots
Suave & Silly
Another beloved character is Puss in Boots, based on the original Italian fairy tale Puss in Boots. Shrek 2 revamped Puss to make him into a Zorro-like figure. As good as a fighter Puss is, it is humorous seeing a cat as a sword fighter and even working as an assassin.
Puss' personality is also a blast, with him seamlessly alternating between silly and suave. Of course, no one can ever forget the running gag of Puss using his giant, adorable cat eyes to manipulate people. Shrek's version of Puss in Boots was so good that he got his own spin-off series, including a short, two movies, and a Netflix show.
4 Jack Horner
Evil & He Knows It
In contrast to Humpty Dumpty, the villain Jack Horner doesn't have a sad backstory or motives. He's simply evil and he knows it, thriving in his murders and villainy.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish excels with dark humor surrounding Jack Horner, having him treat his henchmen as nothing but mere tools and delightfully proclaiming he's evil to Jimmy Cricket. Jack Horner has some of the best scenes and is a fun break from other movie villains who have sympathetic backstories.
3 Big Bad Wolf
Actually Pretty Nice
The Shrek franchise's Big Bad Wolf is an amalgamation of the wolf characters from Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs. Although Big Bad Wolf isn't a main character in the Shrek movies, he has nonetheless remained a memorable figure of the series.
Wolf may appear naturally frightening as a carnivore, but his appearance is juxtaposed with his friendly behavior and pretty dress, the latter being a reference to how he wore the grandmother's dress in the original fairy tale. In addition, fans would be hard-pressed to forget Wolf's funny interactions where he says "What," even though he's sleeping in other people's beds.
2 The Three Bears
Became A Crime Family
The revamped Three Bears are one of the best parts of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Despite their frightening appearances and criminal activities, the bears are super polite.
Although the Three Bears aren't complete pushovers, it's super clear that they're amateurs and aren't really evil. Even when they're threatening someone, they can act surprisingly well-mannered. To top it off, they have strong British accents, which American viewers will liken to their polite personalities.
1 Mama Luna
Sassy & Unique
The cat lady Mama Luna was a surprising delight in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Although she doesn't play too large a role in the story, she became a memorable part of the movie.
Mama Luna's wild, reclusive mind and sassy demeanor, combined with Da'Vine Joy Randolph's performance, make her an absolute joy to watch. Along with Mama Luna's behavior towards the health department, she also gains points for standing up to the three bears, talking smack as they try to torture her with a piano.