HBO Max Just Added One of DreamWorks’ Biggest Movies (But It’s Even Better Sequel Is Missing)

There’s hardly a miss in DreamWorks Animation’s movie catalog. The studio has been behind some of the biggest and most popular animated movies, with several of those titles launching billion-dollar franchises that are still growing today, such as Shrek and Kung Fu Panda. HBO Max subscribers can now stream one of the highest-grossing DreamWorks movies ever, but its even better sequel is unfortunately missing from the platform.

The Shrek franchise is DreamWorks’ highest-grossing franchise, and as of November 1st, the first spin-off film in the series, Puss in Boots, is streaming on HBO Max. The film is set before the events of Shrek 2 and centers around the swashbuckling feline as he ventures to the Land of Giants to find a great fortune, the Golden Goose. The film serves as an origin story for the fan-favorite character, who returned 11 years later in 2022 for Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, which is missing from HBO Max’s catalog.

Puss in Boots Led to an Even Better Sequel

Play video

Puss in Boots managed to do the unthinkable: successfully spin off a supporting character from a well-established franchise into his own highly successful film. The 2011 film was a hit, grossing $555 million on a production budget of $130 million and even earning a Best Animated Feature nomination at the 84th Academy Awards, and it’s easy to see why.

Puss in Boots is an incredibly fun, feel-good story that took the Shrek franchise in a fresh direction without feeling like a poor attempt at a cash grab. The movie took one of the most interesting characters from Shrek and provided him with a swashbuckling, action-packed origin story that just about anybody could enjoy. The movie was an entertaining and well-executed adventure led by strong performances from the voice cast, but its sequel proved to be even better.

Read Next

One of the Decade’s Best Animated Movies Finally Gets the Sequel Update We’ve Been Waiting For

More than a decade passed before Puss in Boots: The Last Wish hit theaters in 2022, and it was well worth the wait. “Certified Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes with a 95% critic score, the movie is one of DreamWorks’ best sequels and really one of the better animated sequels to ever hit theaters. The movie centered around an incredibly compelling plot with better-developed characters and more significant emotional stakes as the titular character burns through eight of his nine lives and is forced to confront the concept of morality. The deeper story, combined with a distinct animation style inspired by handcrafted storybooks and painting, helped it surpass its predecessor.

Where to Stream Puss in Boots: The Last Wish?

HBO Max subscribers can only stream Puss in Boots, but fans of the feline can still find Puss in Boots: The Last Wish on streaming. The film is currently part of Peacock’s catalog alongside The Adventures of Puss in Boots, an animated series about the character that ran from 2015 until 2018. Peacock also streams all four Shrek movies.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!