**Shrek** is a 2001 American computer-animated fantasy film that loosely adapts William Steig’s 1990 fairy tale picture book of the same name. Marking the directorial debut of Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, the film features the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow. It serves as a satirical parody of traditional children’s fantasy films, particularly animated Disney classics.
The story centers around Shrek, an ogre voiced by Myers, whose peaceful swamp is overrun by banished fairy tale creatures sent there by the villainous Lord Farquaad, voiced by Lithgow. To reclaim his swamp, Shrek strikes a deal with Farquaad: he must retrieve a noblewoman—Princess Fiona (voiced by Diaz)—to marry Farquaad, in exchange for the deed to his home. Accompanied by a talkative Donkey voiced by Murphy, Shrek embarks on his quest and eventually discovers Fiona’s own secret, as well as developing unexpected feelings for her.
The rights to Steig’s book were initially purchased by Steven Spielberg in 1991, before DreamWorks was founded. Spielberg once considered creating a traditionally animated adaptation. In 1994, John H. Williams convinced him to bring the project to DreamWorks, which was founded that same year. Jeffrey Katzenberg quickly moved the project into development after DreamWorks acquired the rights in 1995. Originally, Chris Farley was cast as Shrek and recorded approximately 80–90% of the dialogue. Sadly, Farley passed away in 1997 before completing his work, leading to Myers replacing him. After recording his lines, Myers chose to adopt a Scottish accent for the character.
Initially, the filmmakers planned to use motion capture technology for the animation; however, poor results led them to collaborate with Pacific Data Images to achieve the film’s final computer-animated appearance. Shrek established DreamWorks Animation as a major competitor to Pixar in feature film animation, grossing $484.4 million worldwide against a $60 million production budget. The film was praised for its appeal to adult audiences through witty jokes and themes, while maintaining a simple narrative and humor accessible to children.
Shrek’s critical and commercial success earned it the first-ever Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Additionally, it received six BAFTA nominations, including Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Eddie Murphy’s portrayal of Donkey, and won the BAFTA for Best Adapted Screenplay.
The success of Shrek led to the production of three sequels—*Shrek 2* (2004), *Shrek the Third* (2007), and *Shrek Forever After* (2010)—as well as two holiday specials, *Shrek the Halls* (2007) and *Scared Shrekless* (2010). A spin-off film, *Puss in Boots*, was released in 2011. Although a fifth film was initially planned to mark the series’ conclusion, it was canceled in 2009, with the fourth film deemed the final installment. However, the project was revived in 2016, with a planned release around 2019 or 2020.
Beyond film, Shrek’s popularity spurred merchandise including video games, a stage musical, and a comic book adaptation by Dark Horse Comics. In recognition of his cultural impact, Shrek was awarded his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in May 2010.
