More Shrek on the way

Thursday, May 31, 2007 -

I sincerely hope you enjoyed the first three Shrek films, because DreamWorks has no intention of letting this franchise die off like Pirates of the Caribbean will be, or how the cast and producers of Spiderman want theirs to do. Fortunately for fans, Sony has no intention of letting that one dry up, even if they have to find another director and can Toby Macguire. DreamWorks animation on the other hand has plans for our friendly green giant.

The Age has a lengthy interview and story on Jeffrey Katzenberg, the kind of guy who defines power broker in this business. If you can get this guys interest, he can get your project greenlit faster than you can crap your pants. If he likes it and is willing to set it up at DreamWorks, you're practically made. Then all you've got to do is actually produce.

Well, it sounded a lot easier in my head..

The first Shrek amassed $US479 million in global box office receipts and sold more than 50 million DVDs. The second one became the third-highest-grossing film of all time, with a worldwide box office take of $US920 million (it sold 40 million DVDs).

Perhaps I'm missing something, but $920 while incredibly impressive, only pouts Shrek 2 at 7th best all-time. You need to do better than $1.06 billion to take third place from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, and of course $1.8 billion to take the top spot. Somebody wasn't fact-checking me thinks.

The fourth Shrek instalment is in train, scheduled for release in 2010. The fifth, he says, will be the last. "It's a finite story, has been from the beginning and I think that's part of its integrity, part of its strength, that we're not thinking this up as we go," he says.

Okay so I lied a little, they are going to end this franchise eventually, and I suppose you have to do with everything. Then again, James Bond is still going, even though I'd rather it didn't.

I can't help but wonder what DreamWorks is doing with all this money. It has to be the most successful indy studio of them all, and yet you don't see them making very many films very often. Maybe that's their secret to success; only make the films you know will be good, only do the stories worth telling.

Check out the interview, it's long, but a fascinating read.

Topics: Film, Shrek, Interviews

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