Mayhem broke out as the first trailer of the new Shrek movie was revealed by Dreamworks Animations. Starring returning cast, Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy, with Zendaya joining the franchise, the trailer kickstarts as not only a disappointment but a tremendous disaster. Far from looking like the original, dull humor and a Magic Mirror version of TikTok, “Shrek 5” seems to lack the main characteristics that made the franchise so iconic. Upgrading does not always mean success; if they want to experiment with new features, they should make a different film and not mess up the original one.
“Shrek” came out in 2001. It was a product of Dreamworks animators who were punished due to their poor work in “The Prince of Egypt,” which ironically tanked compared to the Oscar-winning “Shrek,” and were sent straight to work on the low-budget, loathed film which animators called being “Shreked.” In the beginning, “Shrek” had no hope of succeeding, until its screening at the Cannes Film Festival. It not only received a standing ovation but also went on to gross $42 million its first weekend, Dreamworks’ biggest take ever.
Shrek’s success can be attributed to many aspects: Mockery of fairy-tales, subtle references to modern media, the innovative and realistic animation among many others. The tetralogy consists of “Shrek,” “Shrek 2,” “Shrek the Third” and “ “Shrek: Forever After.” With the third one being the least favorite among viewers, it is still a feather in one’s cap.
Although the tetralogy was supposed to end in “Shrek Forever After,” news spread in 2016 when Dreamworks Animation’s late president, Jeffrey Katzenberg, shared that the script for a fifth “Shrek” film was in the works. However, it was not until the “Boss Baby´s” screenwriter, Michael McCullers, shared in 2017 that he “finished the script” for the movie, stating that “It’s got a pretty big reinvention.” The public excitedly waited years for even the smallest details in the film. However, three days ago, Dreamworks Animations revealed the teaser trailer for “Shrek 5,” leaving viewers utterly disappointed by what the studio came up with.
The teaser caused a commotion on the internet, with many people commenting on the dullness of its humor, trying to be trendy with a TikTok parody, and the highlight of all its hatred: The Disney-like animation. Many users on X commented on how it looks “uncanny” since the facial features are not the same. Others commented on how even though “Shrek Forever After” developed its animation style, it kept the Original designs carrying the “charm” of “Shrek” perfectly. Just because a design looks old-fashioned, it does not mean they cannot upgrade it to look better without erasing its characterizing features.
“Shrek 5” currently holds an imbalance of hatred and liking from the public, with hatred being the one weighing its success rates down. Dreamworks Animations have proved over the years their growth in animation; however, in terms of creativity and original design preservation, they are not only seen as a disappointment to the public, but as a failed attempt to regulate the production of art style in films.
