Taglines: The fairy tale is ogre.
The movie begins just before Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers) rescues Princess Fiona (voiced by Cameron Diaz) in Shrek (2001). Desperate to lift their daughter’s curse, King Harold (voiced by John Cleese) and Queen Lillian (voiced by Julie Andrews) meet with con artist Rumpelstiltskin (voiced by Walt Dohrn), who requests becoming king of Far Far Away in exchange. Just before the king signs the contract, a page bursts in and announces that Princess Fiona has been saved. In the present, a disgruntled Rumpelstiltskin wishes Shrek was never born and seeks revenge.
Meanwhile, Shrek has grown tired of being a domesticated family man and celebrity among the local villagers; he even tires of his friends’ visits. This leads him to yearn for the days when he felt like a “real ogre.” He takes his family to Far Far Away to celebrate his children’s first birthday with the villagers and his fairy tale friends. Many things at the party annoy Shrek: a little boy constantly asking for Shrek to roar; Donkey (voiced by Eddie Murphy) licking the cake and the three little pigs eating it; his kids crying. After he lets out a roar of frustration, the entire crowd cheers. Puss in Boots (voiced by Antonio Banderas) brings out a replacement cake, but Shrek smashes it and storms off.
Outside, Shrek rants to Fiona about how he was a “real ogre” and villagers feared him — when he could do what he wanted when he wanted to — before he rescued her. Fiona gives up trying to talk sense to Shrek and goes back inside. Rumpelstiltskin, hiding behind a garbage can, has witnessed the whole thing and plans his revenge. Shrek wanders down the road and meets Rumpelstiltskin, who has faked a carriage accident. Shrek grudgingly helps him. Rumpelstiltskin in return offers to help Shrek by giving him a ride.
Over “eyeball-tinis” and roast rat, Rumpelstiltskin convinces Shrek to sign the “Ogre for a Day” contract; in return all he has to give up is a day from his childhood he wouldn’t remember being erased. Shrek agrees and signs the contract, and abruptly lands in a world where he is still feared by villagers. He enjoys causing mischief until he finds wanted posters for the ogress Fiona. He races back to his home, which he finds reclaimed by the tree and empty. Witches capture him and take him away in a caged carriage pulled by Donkey; Donkey doesn’t know Shrek in this alternate world.
Shrek Forever After (often promoted as Shrek: The Final Chapter[5]) is a 2010 American 3D computer-animated fantasy comedy film and the fourth installment in the Shrek series, produced by DreamWorks Animation and the sequel to 2007’s Shrek the Third. It was directed by Mike Mitchell, the animator of the second film. Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, John Cleese reprise their previous roles, with Walt Dohrn joining them in the role of Rumpelstiltskin. Taking place after Shrek the Third, Shrek is now a family man and beloved among the local villagers. Yearning for the days when he was feared, he makes a deal with Rumpelstiltskin and accidentally wipes out his entire existence. To restore his existence, Shrek has to regain Fiona’s love and kiss her before the sun rises, or he will disappear forever.
The film premiered on April 21, 2010 at the Tribeca Film Festival, and was theatrically released by Paramount Pictures1 on May 21, 2010 in the United States, in 3D and IMAX 3D formats. The film was the No. 1 film in the United States and Canada for three consecutive weeks and grossed a worldwide total of $752 million, becoming the fifth highest-grossing film of 2010. Additionally, Shrek Forever After is DreamWorks Animation’s second highest-grossing film at the foreign box office. A fifth film is planned for 2019 or 2020.
Shrek Forever After (2010)
Directed by: Mike Mitchell
Starring by: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, John Cleese, Jane Lynch, Kathy Griffin, Craig Robinson, Lake Bell, Mary Kay Place, Meredith Vieira
Screenplay by: Tim Sullivan, Josh Klausner
Production Design by: Peter Zaslav
Cinematography by: Yong Duk Jhun
Film Editing by: Nick Fletcher
Art Direction by: Max Boas, Michael Hernandez
Music by: Harry Gregson-Williams
MPAA Rating: PG for mild action, some rude humor and brief language.
Distributed by: DreamWorks Pictures
Release Date: May 21, 2010