Hide your stash of catnip as well as your significant other because Puss in Boots, the refined feline from Dreamworks Animation's Shrek franchise, is back on the prowl. Universal has set a date for the sequel to the 2011 Oscar-nominated Puss in Boots, entitled Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Now opening on Friday, September 23, 2022, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish will be directed by Joel Crawford and produced by Mark Swift, the duo behind The Croods: A New Age.
Oscar nominee Antonio Banderas will once again reprise his role as the civilized wild cat, for a story in which Puss in Boots discovers that his passion for adventure has taken its toll: He has burned through eight of his nine lives, leaving him with only one left. He then sets out on an epic journey to find the mythical Last Wish and restore his nine lives.
In addition to dating Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Dreamworks Animation's The Bad Guys will open on Friday, April 15, 2022. Based on the bestselling Scholastic book series by Aaron Blabey, The Bad Guys follows five notorious bad guys who’ve been behind big heists—Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Shark, and Ms. Tarantula—as they attempt their most challenging job yet…going good. The Bad Guys is directed by Pierre Perifel, as his feature directorial debut. Producing The Bad Guys are Damon Ross and Rebecca Huntley, with Blabey, Etan Cohen, and Patrick Hughes serving as executive producers.
The news for Puss in Boots: The Last Wish has arrived just in time to celebrate Shrek's 20th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the animated original will return to theaters for three nights on April 25, 28, and 29, hinting at plans to revitalize interest in the franchise.
"We are delighted to partner with Universal and DreamWorks Animation to bring Shrek back to the big screen for its 20th anniversary. This treasured animated feature has enduring multi-generational appeal and makes for a great day at the cinema for the whole family," Dreamworks Animation said in a statement.