History of Shrek in Timeline
"Shrek" is a 2001 animated comedy film based on William Steig's book. The story follows a grumpy ogre named Shrek who makes a deal with the villainous Lord Farquaad to rescue Princess Fiona. With the help of his sidekick Donkey, Shrek embarks on a hilarious adventure to save Fiona and reclaim his swamp, encountering various fairy tale characters along the way.
1953: Disney's "Peter Pan" Competes for Palme d'Or
Disney's "Peter Pan," released in 1953, was the last animated film before "Shrek" to compete for the Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival.
1990: "Shrek" Book Publication
William Steig's children's picture book "Shrek," the inspiration for the film, was published in 1990.
1991: Spielberg's Vision for "Shrek"
Before DreamWorks, Spielberg envisioned a traditionally animated "Shrek" with Bill Murray as Shrek and Steve Martin as Donkey after buying the book's rights in 1991.
1991: Spielberg Acquires Rights
Steven Spielberg bought the rights to Steig's book in 1991, initially intending a traditionally animated adaptation.
1994: DreamWorks Takes Over
John H. Williams convinced Spielberg to bring the "Shrek" project to the newly founded DreamWorks in 1994.
1994: Inspiration for Donkey
The animated Donkey in "Shrek" was modeled after Pericles, a miniature donkey born in 1994 residing at Barron Park in Palo Alto, California.
November 1995: Katzenberg Initiates "Shrek" Development
Jeffrey Katzenberg quickly started "Shrek's" active development in November 1995 after acquiring the film rights.
1995: Development Begins
Shrek's development at DreamWorks, under Jeffrey Katzenberg, began in 1995 after acquiring rights from Spielberg.
1995: "The Lion King" Sets VHS Sales Record
The release of "The Lion King" on VHS in 1995 set a benchmark for retail video sales, which "Shrek" later surpassed.
1996: Early Shrek House Sketches
Early sketches of Shrek's house were created between 1996 and 1997.
1996: "I Got You (I Feel Good)" Used in Test
The song "I Got You (I Feel Good)" was used in the 1996 animation test for "Shrek."
May 1997: Unsatisfactory Live-Action/CG Test
A live-action/CG hybrid test for "Shrek" in May 1997 proved unsuccessful, leading the studio to switch to a fully computer-animated approach.
1997: Adamson and Asbury Join as Directors
Andrew Adamson and Kelly Asbury were brought on board to co-direct "Shrek" in 1997.
1997: Chris Farley's Passing
Chris Farley, initially cast as Shrek, passed away in 1997 before finishing his voice work.
1997: Early Shrek House Sketches
Early sketches of Shrek's house were created between 1996 and 1997.
1997: Screenwriting Begins
Elliott and Rossio began writing the screenplay for "Shrek" in 1997 and continued working on it for two years.
1998: Gregson-Williams and Powell Score "Antz"
Composers Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell first collaborated on the score for DreamWorks' "Antz" in 1998, marking the beginning of their musical partnership.
1998: PDI Begins Animation
Production on the computer-animated "Shrek" began in 1998 at Pacific Data Images (PDI), marking a shift from the initial hybrid concept.
1999: Myers Initially Voices Shrek
Throughout 1999, Mike Myers worked on providing the initial voice for the character of Shrek, before suggesting a change in accent.
February 2000: Myers Re-Records with Scottish Accent
In February 2000, after seeing a rough cut of "Shrek," Mike Myers convinced the filmmakers to let him re-record his lines using a Scottish accent, inspired by his mother's storytelling and previous roles.
2000: IMAX Releases "CyberWorld"
"CyberWorld," an IMAX compilation film featuring a 3D conversion of a sequence from DreamWorks' "Antz," was released in 2000.
2000: Gregson-Williams and Powell Score "Chicken Run"
Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell teamed up again in 2000 to compose the music for DreamWorks' animated film "Chicken Run."
2000: Animation Completed
The animation for "Shrek," featuring 31 sequences, 1,288 shots, and 36 unique locations, was completed in 2000.
May 7, 2001: Burger King and Baskin-Robbins Promotions Begin
On May 7, 2001, Burger King and Baskin-Robbins launched promotions for "Shrek," offering themed toys and treats to coincide with the film's release.
May 18, 2001: "Shrek" Theatrical Release
DreamWorks Pictures released "Shrek" in US theaters on May 18, 2001, where it grossed over $492 million worldwide.
June 2001: Shrek Becomes Top-Grossing Movie
By mid-June 2001, Shrek became the top-grossing movie of the year in the USA, surpassing The Mummy Returns. This milestone marked the film's significant impact on the box office.
November 2, 2001: "Shrek" Released on VHS and DVD
"Shrek" was released on VHS and DVD on November 2, 2001, quickly becoming a best-seller and surpassing previous sales records.
December 6, 2001: Shrek's Box Office Success
On December 6, 2001, Shrek closed its theatrical run after grossing $267.7 million domestically and $216.7 million overseas, totaling $484.4 million worldwide. Produced on a $60 million budget, it was a huge box office success and the fourth highest-grossing film of 2001.
2001: Planned 3D Re-Release Canceled
A planned 3D re-release of "Shrek" for IMAX theaters in late 2001 or summer 2002 was canceled due to creative changes at DreamWorks.
2001: "Shrek" Movie Release
The animated fantasy comedy film "Shrek" premiered in theaters in 2001.
January 2002: "Shrek" Becomes Top-Selling DVD
By January 2002, "Shrek" had become the top-selling DVD of all time, surpassing the record previously held by "Gladiator" and solidifying its commercial success.
2002: Asbury Directs "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron"
Kelly Asbury, who left "Shrek" in 1998, went on to co-direct the animated film "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron," released in 2002.
2004: "Shrek 2" Release
The first sequel to "Shrek," "Shrek 2," premiered in 2004.
2007: "Shrek the Third" Release
The third installment in the Shrek franchise, "Shrek the Third," was released in 2007.
June 2008: Shrek Recognized by AFI
In June 2008, the American Film Institute recognized Shrek as the eighth best film in the animated genre in its 'Ten top Ten' list, making it the only non-Disney·Pixar film in the Top 10.
December 14, 2008: Shrek the Musical Opens on Broadway
On December 14, 2008, a musical adaptation of Shrek opened on Broadway, featuring music by Jeanine Tesori and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire. The show starred Brian d'Arcy James and Sutton Foster.
November 2009: Lord Farquaad Ranked Top Fantasy Villain
In November 2009, IGN UK listed Lord Farquaad as No. 14 in their 'Top 15 Fantasy Villains,' highlighting the character's impact and popularity.
2009: Shrek the Musical Wins Tony Award
In 2009, Shrek the Musical won the Tony Award for Best Costume Design and received multiple nominations, including Best New Musical.
January 3, 2010: Shrek the Musical Closes on Broadway
Shrek the Musical closed on Broadway on January 3, 2010, after 441 performances.
May 2010: Shrek Receives Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
In May 2010, the character Shrek was awarded his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, recognizing the cultural significance of the film.
July 25, 2010: Shrek the Musical North American Tour
A North American tour of Shrek the Musical opened on July 25, 2010, in Chicago.
December 1, 2010: "Shrek" 3D Blu-ray Release
A 3D version of "Shrek" was released on Blu-ray 3D by Paramount Home Entertainment on December 1, 2010.
2010: "Shrek Forever After" Release
The fourth installment of the Shrek series, "Shrek Forever After," was released in 2010.
June 7, 2011: Shrek the Musical Opens in London
On June 7, 2011, Shrek the Musical opened in London's West End.
2011: "Puss in Boots" Spin-off Release
The first spin-off from the Shrek franchise, "Puss in Boots," was released in 2011.
2013: Nicolas Cage Explains Refusal
In 2013, Nicolas Cage explained that he turned down the role of Shrek because he was concerned about how being drawn as an ogre would impact children's perception of him.
August 2015: Farley's Recording Leaked
A story reel featuring Chris Farley's voice recordings as Shrek was leaked online in August 2015.
November 6, 2018: Shrek Reboot Announced
On November 6, 2018, Variety reported that Chris Meledandri was tasked with rebooting Shrek and Puss in Boots, with the original cast potentially returning.
November 29, 2018: Shrek Retold Released
On November 29, 2018, a shot-for-shot fan remake titled Shrek Retold was released by 3GI Industries. The project involved 200 filmmakers and featured various animation styles. It is available for free on YouTube.
2020: "Shrek" Inducted into National Film Registry
In 2020, the United States Library of Congress selected "Shrek" for preservation in the National Film Registry, the first 21st-century animated film to receive this honor.
May 11, 2021: "Shrek" 20th Anniversary Ultra HD Blu-ray Release
An Ultra HD Blu-ray edition of "Shrek" was released on May 11, 2021, in celebration of the film's 20th anniversary.
2022: "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish" Release
A sequel to the "Puss in Boots" spin-off, "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish" premiered in 2022.
April 2023: Shrek 5 and Donkey Spinoff Plans
In April 2023, it was reported that a fifth Shrek film with the original cast and a spinoff featuring Donkey were planned.
2023: 1996 Animation Test Resurfaces
The 1996 animation test for "Shrek," featuring "I Got You (I Feel Good)", resurfaced in 2023 after being considered lost.
June 2024: Eddie Murphy Records for Shrek 5
In June 2024, Eddie Murphy confirmed that he had begun voice recording sessions for Shrek 5 and would start on the Donkey spinoff after.
