Shrek 5 scribe promises that a big reinvention for the series is on the way

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Whether you’re looking forward to it or not, another SHREK sequel is on the way! Today, Michael McCullers (AUSTIN POWERS, BABY MAMA) announced that he’s finished working on the script for a fifth SHREK movie, and has stated that the film is now in development.

In fact, while promoting his work on the Dreamworks animated film BOSS BABY, McCullers told The Hollywood Reporter, “I finished that script, which I really, really, really love. It’s really personal to me. It’s got a pretty big reinvention behind it that I guess I can’t really reveal, but since DreamWorks was sold to Universal in that time for over $3 billion, I imagine they’re particularly interested in it stepping up and actually figuring out the future of the franchise in that way on the corporate level.”

McCullers then continued, “Reinvention was sort of called for. There’s been four movies and a lot of material, so the characters are pretty beloved and they’re great characters, but you also have to think of a pretty new take at that point.”

Obviously, if the SHREK franchise is looking to once again explore the fairy tale pages of yesteryear, one would hope that Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy and Antonio Banderas are all willing to reprise their respective roles. If not, well … 

Personally, I don’t have much love left for Shrek and his fairy tale pals. While I admit to enjoying the first two films immensely, the franchise felt like it had lost its punch once SHREK THE THIRD came along. There’s also a part of me that hopes the talented artists at Dreamworks will see fit to streamline the overall look of Shrek’s world for the fifth installment of the franchise. I mean, if you’re going to “reinvent” the SHREK wheel as McCullers claims, perhaps a makeover for the characters of Fairy Tale Land is in order as well?

Hopefully we hear more in the coming months as Shrek prepares to make his return to the big screen.