In a move that could have certain corners of the internet sharpening their pitchforks, Dreamworks’ Shrek franchise is getting a reboot. And when we say corners of the internet, we mean the ones swimming in Shrek and Smash Mouth memes. According to Variety, Chris Meledandri – the founder of Illumination Entertainment, behind Despicable Me, Minions, Sing! and the upcoming Grinch movie, among others – has been tasked with overseeing a ‘revival’ of Shrek and Puss in Boots that would give the self-aware fantasy fairytales a new lease on life.
With both Illumination and Dreamworks owned by Comcast, Meledandri has been asked to find fresh stories from the land of far, far away. Luckily, it looks like he doesn’t want to re-cast, and is aiming to reunite Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas and co – but the new films are aiming to be more than just continuing sequels. “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 characterisations,” he told Variety. “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.”
It sounds like early days for the new Shrek movies – and in the meantime, Illumination also has sequels to The Secret Life Of Pets, Minions, and Sing keeping them busy, as well as a Super Mario animated movie.
Keep up to date with all the latest movie news, click here to subscribe to Empire on Great Magazines and have the latest issue delivered to your door every month.