The long-awaited Puss in Boots sequel is getting delayed yet again, but this latest release date change actually feels like good news for DreamWorks Animation’s latest. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish was set to hit theaters in September, 11 years after the first Puss in Boots movie was released. On Monday, DreamWorks and Universal shifted the release date, and it will now arrive on the big screen on December 21st.
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That release date previously belonged to Illumination’s animated Mario movie, which stars Chris Pratt as the titular plumber. Monday saw that film pushed back to the spring of 2023, and The Last Wish quickly rushed in to take the coveted holiday release date. Given the prominence of a Christmas week release, DreamWorks and Universal clearly have belief in the Puss in Boots sequel as a successful theatrical movie.
Antonio Banderas returns once again to voice Puss in Boots, reprising the role that he originated in Shrek 2. He’s joined in The Last Wish by Salma Hayek, reprising the role of Kitty Softpaws from the first Puss in Boots movie. What We Do in the Shadows breakout Harvey Guillen also stars in the film as Perro, a canine associate of Puss and Kitty.
The ensemble of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish also includes Florence Pugh, Olivia Colman, Wagner Moura, Ray Winstone, John Mulaney, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Anthony Mendez, and Samson Kayo. Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado are directing the new movie from a script by Paul Fisher.
The first Puss in Boots movie arrived in theaters back in 2011 and was a pretty substantial success, raking in $555 million globally. A sequel was put into development shortly after that. Banderas confirmed he was returning to work on the character in 2014, but a company reshuffling caused the film to sit idle for quite a while. Things got rolling again in 2018.
“We started the new one four days ago,” Banderas told Collider back in 2014. “It did incredibly well with audiences and critics, all around the world, and the character is going to keep going. With Jeffrey [Katzenberg], whatever he wants. He’s one of my favorite producers. This character was born almost 12 years ago. We have had a lot of fun with him, and it seems that audiences do, too. So, we’re doing another one.”
Are you looking forward to checking out Puss in Boots: The Last Wish in theaters this December? Let us know in the comments!
