Katzenberg Announces Shrek Sequels
DreamWorks Animation CEO Gives Release Dates for 4th and 4th Movies
Jun 7, 2007 Dominic von Riedemann
(Source: www.news.com.au)
I really hope you liked the previous Shrek films because there's at least two more movies on the way, plus a Broadway production of Shrek The Musical, and a Shrek the Halls Christmas special.
"The fourth (Shrek) film will come out in 2010 and the fifth in 2013," said DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg, while promoting Shrek the Third in Sydney, Australia. Each animated movie takes 4 years to complete.
Katzenberg is still buzzed that the current flick easily crossed the $200 million mark in its first two weekends in theatres, despite less-than-enthusiastic reviews.
He says that adapting William Steig's 1990 children's story for the big screen was a gamble, but it's paid off in spades. Shrek won the first ever Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film in 2002, while Shrek 2 became the 3rd highest grossing movie ever. The first two movies have made $1.4 billion overall, and sold 90 million DVD's. It's not surprising that Katzenberg would want to continue going back to the well.
"With the new Shrek film we wanted to concentrate on the growth of Shrek," he says. "The first time we met him he was learning to accept himself, and then in the second film, he had to learn to accept Fiona's love. This time he has to learn about responsibility for a kingdom, and it turns out to be an enormous challenge."
Shrek the Third features mainstays Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, and Eddie Murphy. Julie Andrews, John Cleese, Rupert Everett and Antonio Banderas reprise the roles they performed in Shrek 2, while Justin Timberlake and Eric Idle are the latest additions.
"The new film maintains its irreverence to traditional fairytale traditions," Katzenberg says, "and there are surprises involving some of the female fairytale characters such as Snow White and Cinderella."
Yup, although Katzenberg claims to have mended fences with the Mouse House's current management, there are still plenty of spoofs on classic Disney animated movies. After shepherding DIsney's 1990's "animation renaissance," Katzenberg quit the company in 1994, following a battle with then-CEO Michael Eisner. Shrek's villain, the diminutive Lord Farquaad, was apparently modeled after Eisner.
Katzenberg says he's happy with how the series is progressing.
"I think the animation keeps getting better with each film," Katzenberg says, claiming that even the most negative notices for Shrek the Third still praised the technical aspects of the flick.
"There have been leaps and bounds in the technical levels. These more powerful computer tools are working magic in the hands of some gifted people," he continues. "The characters' clothes move realistically, and there are individual strands of hair in Merlin's beard, and Fiona's hair."
Non-Shrek DreamWorks flicks coming in the next two years include Jerry Seinfeld's Bee Movie (due November 2nd). Next year will see Madagascar 2: The Crate Escape plus Jack Black and Angelina Jolie starring in Kung Fu Panda.
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