Yes, Fine, You Can Have A Fifth “Shrek” Movie

Someone call Smash Mouth!

Answering the calls of no one, DreamWorks’ Animation is working on a fifth Shrek movie.

This, despite the fourth instalment being titled The Final Chapter (and the fact that box office returns diminished with each subsequent instalment after the record breaking Shrek 2, along with audience patience).

The news comes from the Hollywood Reporter, tucked within a larger story of Universal Studio’s acquisition of DreamWorks’ Animation, which has been struggling of late to compete with Pixar, Disney Animation and the ascendant Illumination (they’re behind Minions, Despicable Me and The Secret Life of Pets).

It seems that NBCUniversal wants to make back the money on their $US3.8 billion acquisition as quickly as possible, setting Shrek 5 as one of the studio’s first two movies after the takeover. (The other is an animated film titled Shadows, from Edgar Wright, of Shaun of the Dead fame, and Little Britain’s David Walliams).

It will be interesting to see how Shrek 5 differs from the first four, given that they were a pet project of CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg, who is expected to now step away from DreamWorks.

Illumination’s Chris Meledandri is being tipped to take over as ringleader. Might you soon see some Minions interfering with Shrek and Donkey?

An anxious planet awaits.

Photo: DreamWorks.