The Big Picture

Shrek 2
returns to theaters on April 12 for a limited engagement, giving fans a chance to experience the beloved sequel on the big screen.
The film introduced iconic characters like Puss in Boots and the Fairy Godmother, earning $935 million at the global box office upon release.
DreamWorks Animation may continue the
Shrek
franchise with the success of spinoffs like
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
and hints of a potential
Shrek 5.

When it premiered in theaters twenty years ago, Shrek 2 became one of the most beloved animated sequels of all time, with the titular ogre voiced by Mike Myers having trouble while meeting Princess Fiona’s (Cameron Diaz) family. And now, due to the special anniversary coming up for the film, Universal Pictures has officially announced that Shrek 2 will be returning to theaters on April 12, with a limited engagement set to last for a week. Members of the audience who never had the opportunity to experience Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury and Conrad Vernon’s fantasy adventure on the big screen will now finally have the opportunity to do so.

The first Shrek movie introduced the lovable ogre as someone willing to put it all on the line for the people he cared about, even if he pretended to be a lonely person at heart. But by taking Shrek out of his comfort zone, Shrek 2 opened up plenty of storytelling possibilities, setting the stage for his first meeting with Fiona’s parents, King Harold (John Cleese) and Princess Lillian (Julie Andrews). While the monarchs were trying to figure out how they felt about the ogre who married their daughter, the King hired Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) to kill Shrek, introducing one of the most iconic characters from the franchise.

The Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders) performing her own cover of Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out For a Hero” was a hit with audiences, proven by the $935 million Shrek 2 earned at the global box office when it was released. Considering the sequel premiered in the same year as Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Spider-Man 2, the final box office earnings were something to be proud of. Shrek 2 also turned out to be the highest-grossing installment of the franchise, even if Shrek the Third and Shrek Forever After were released in subsequent years.

Shrek’s Legacy Continues

The fact that Shrek 2 is coming back to the big screen sounds exciting on its own, but with DreamWorks Animation actively pursuing to continue the franchise, fans of the green ogre can remain happy for years to come. After the success of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, the studio could double down on their previous announcement regarding the development of Shrek 5. The spinoff directed by Joel Crawford showed Puss in Boots returning to Far, Far Away alongside Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek) and Perrito (Harvey Guillén), hinting that the studio might in fact produce Shrek 5 in the near future.

You can check out the official announcement regarding Shrek 2 coming back to theaters below, before the film returns to the big screen on April 12:

Shrek 2 Release Date May 19, 2004 Runtime 93 Tagline Once upon another time…