Shrek 5 is meant to be a huge hit for DreamWorks’ biggest animated franchise, but it will have to break a box office curse to do so. From the time that DreamWorks launched the Shrek franchise in 2001, audiences immediately gravitated towards the adventures of the green ogre, Donkey, Fiona, and more. After over a decade without a new movie, Shrek 5 is in development to bring them all back for another grand fantasy story filled with action, heart, and humor. If DreamWorks has it their way, box office riches will also come with the franchise’s return.
The Shrek franchise has a rather stellar reputation at the box office in general, which is understandable considering the four main movies plus two Puss in Boots spinoffs have combined to make over $4 billion worldwide. That is why the announcement that Shrek 5 was happening came as little surprise, as the characters that exist in this world are still very relevant and popular with families. This is likely why Shrek 5‘s box office is expected to perform quite incredibly once the movie releases in theaters, but that would require breaking the franchise’s dire financial trend.
Shrek’s Last 4 Movies Have Made Less At The Box Office Than Before
The original Shrek movie made over $484 million when it was released over twenty years ago, and the strength of the franchise was confirmed when Shrek 2 made $928 million a few years later. The sequel’s ability to nearly double the box office of the original was truly impressive. While it was never expected that all subsequent entries in this series would increase their box office totals at similar rates, most would think that the franchise has at least mostly maintained its must-watch nature with general audiences. The reality is that the Shrek movies are on a four-film slump where each made less than its predecessor.
This trend started with Shrek the Third‘s release in 2007. The movie was another box office hit for the franchise, but with a final total of $813 million, the drop between it and Shrek 2‘s earnings was notable. DreamWorks continued the downward spiral with Shrek Forever After, as it made $752 million in 2010, which was still enough for it to be a success. Understandably, the first Puss in Boots spinoff the following year made substantially less, finishing with $554 million. The sequel Puss in Boots: The Last Wish made $481 million once it arrived over a decade later.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’s Box Office Set A New Franchise Low
The franchise’s overall box office trajectory is not exactly what DreamWorks should want from the Shrek brand. In fact, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish‘s box office is worse than it simply continuing the overall decline. The movie finished its theatrical run with a new franchise low total for any movie associated with Shrek. The spinoff could not even surpass the original Shrek movie’s performance. The movies are separated by over $7 million thanks to Shrek‘s various re-releases, and that number would be hundreds of millions of dollars higher if adjusted for inflation.
The saving grace for DreamWorks is that Puss in Boots: The Last Wish was still a financial success and became profitable thanks to incredibly strong word of mouth and rave reviews. That puts them in a fascinating position ahead of Shrek 5‘s release. The studio is still making movies that are successful financially speaking, but questions about the overall popularity of Shrek and these characters remain. The Shrek 5 cast will not be cheap to bring back together, so DreamWorks needs to be confident that it can recoup its cost. Simply becoming profitable is not enough for the next installment; it must get the franchise back on track financially.
How Shrek 5 Can Break The Box Office Curse
There is reason for optimism that Shrek 5 will break the box office curse that DreamWorks is experiencing. One of the biggest could come from the gap between main entries in the franchise. While Shrek 5 does not have a release date yet, it will not come until 2025 at the earliest at this point. That means 15 years will pass between when audiences last saw Shrek and friends on the big screen. The nostalgia factor of seeing the crew return for another fantasy adventure will be high, especially if the story taps into the fact that younger fans of the original movies are now significantly older.
DreamWorks could also work to revitalize the franchise’s box office potential by injecting Shrek 5 with some of the same fresh animation styles displayed in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. The movie dazzled viewers with its stunning visuals, and it would be exciting for audiences to see DreamWorks embrace a bold new look this deep into the franchise. This would also go a long way in recapturing the attention of audiences and possibly bring the franchise its first $1 billion hit, which would irrefutably be enough for Shrek 5 to end the curse.
