Shrek and Puss in Boots star Antonio Banderas has teased the return of his ferocious feline character in Shrek 5. Banderas has played Puss in Boots since Shrek 2 and has gone on to reprise his role in the third and fourth films of the franchise. In addition, Banderas has also starred as the feline hero of San Ricardo throughout his own spinoff film series, with the second installment, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, set for a wide theatrical release on December 21.
According to Deadline, Banderas gave audiences at the Red Sea Film Festival an update on the Shrek franchise’s future, stating there will likely be a Shrek 5 sometime in the future. He also implied he would be returning as Puss in Boots both in Shrek 5 and a possible third installment of the character’s titular spinoff series. Check out what Banderas had to say below:
I’ve been with this cat for almost 20 years. The first time I did Puss in Boots, I was working on broadway, so I did my first session there. I’ve done five movies now. There is probably gonna be another, and [Shrek] is probably coming back.
The Future Of Shrek & Puss In Boots Explained
Banderas’ statement isn’t the first time Shrek 5 has been talked about by people involved with the franchise. A fifth Shrek film has been teased since 2004, when then-producer Jeffrey Katzenberg talked about having a 5 film outline for the Shrek franchise. Shrek 5 has seemingly been in development since 2016, with Donkey voice actor Eddie Murphy confirming the existence of a script for the film. Since then, however, news of another Shrek adventure has been sparse, with general confirmation that another Shrek movie is being developed by DreamWorks.
Despite the lack of recent news about Shrek 5, the franchise is set to make a return to the big screen after 11 years of absence. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is the first theatrical film in the Shrek universe to be released since 2011’s Puss in Boots. The film is already garnering praise from critics as well, a major indication that audiences haven’t seen the last of Shrek, Fiona, Donkey, and all the fairy tale creatures that populate Shrek’s world. With Banderas’ hint that he will return as Puss in Boots for Shrek 5 and a potential Puss in Boots 3, the franchise may be seeing a return to form in the near future.
As of now, though, it remains unclear in what direction the Shrek franchise will be heading. At the end of the fourth Shrek film, Shrek Forever After, the titular ogre gained a newfound appreciation for his life despite no longer being the feared monster he was in the first film. Because of how conclusive the fourth film was, Shrek 5 will have to find a way to justify its existence while also providing a fun adventure that harkens back to the feel of the first 4 films. It’s possible that Puss in Boots: The Last Wish will not only test the waters regarding the success of the Shrek franchise a decade later, but also set up Shrek 5 and the future of the franchise.
Source: Deadline