With NBC Universal having announced their staggering $3.8 billion acquisition of DreamWorks Animation, fans were curious as to what the company’s upcoming releases might look like. Their curiosity was satisfied when rumors began swirling that Universal was pushing DreamWorks to revive their hugely popular Shrek franchise. And, if sources at The Hollywood Reporter are correct, it looks like Shrek 5 will be hitting theaters in 2019.
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DreamWorks animators have no doubt been unsure of their job security following the high-profile acquisition, but if Shrek 5 is really looking to roll out in just a few years, then the studio is going to need as much help as they can get. For now, it looks like unnamed sources are citing that Universal is greenlighting DreamWorks to release 2 films in 2019: Shrek 5 and Shadows by Edgar Wright and David Walliams.
Recently, Dreamworks has experienced a high as they struck gold with their Madagascar and How to Train Your Dragon films. With revenue flooding in, NBC Universal’s Chief Steve Burke first ignited rumors of Shrek‘s continuation when he announced that he wanted Dreamworks to release up to four films a year after their merge. Eyeing lucrative franchise options, Burke intends to create feature films which could be serialized and sell spin-offs, merchandise, theme park features, and more. Clearly, given Shrek‘s proven success, reviving the films might be just what DreamsWorks needs to do to impress its new overseers.
Shrek debuted back in 2001 to huge box office success as the computer-animated flick thrilled parents, children, and critics alike. Based on William Steig’s picture-book Shrek!, the film franchise spawned four films and a short 3D feature which was created for a theme park ride. With audiences eager to see the green ogre and his talkative companions, the franchise pulled in high grosses to help rank series as the 12th highest-grossing franchise of all-time.
