Shrek 5: How Puss in Boots 2 Already Paved the Way for Shrek and Donkey's Return

Puss in Boots delivered the perfect set up for Shrek 5 two years ago.

By Charlie Ridgely

After nearly a decade and a half away from the spotlight, Shrek, Donkey, and Fiona are finally preparing for their long-awaited return to the big screen. On Tuesday afternoon, DreamWorks Animation announced that Shrek 5 is officially on the way and will hit theaters in 2026. The new film will reunite Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz for the first time since Shrek Forever After in 2010, but some of Shrek's biggest fans have actually been expecting this news since 2022, when DreamWorks first teased the ogre's return.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish snuck up on people when it was released a couple of years ago. The original Puss in Boots movie, which was a spinoff of the Shrek series, hit theaters in 2011 and didn't exactly leave a major impression on viewers. A decade later, The Last Wish arrived with a brand new, innovative animation style and fantastic story, earning it a ton of critical acclaim and a great showing at the box office. The film reinvigorated the excitement for the entire Shrek franchise, especially when its final scene let fans know that a potential Shrek return was (literally) on the horizon.

At the very end of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, the trio of Puss in Boots, Kitty Softpaws, and Perrito are setting sail together on the high seas. Perrito asks Puss where they're heading, and the titular hero replies, "Off to find some new adventures, and to see some old friends."

When he delivers the "see some old friends" part of the line, the score of the film changes to bring back the instantly recognizable melody from Shrek. As if that wasn't enough, a chunk of land is revealed out in front of the boat, with the enormous "Far Far Away" sign sticking out across the mountain.

It was clear in that scene that Puss in Boots was looking to reunite with Shrek and Donkey, the lifelong pals he made during the events of Shrek 2. What we didn't know at that time, though, was whether or not the tease would amount to anything. It could've just been a nice little nod to say that, after so many adventures, Puss in Boots had never forgotten his old friends.

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With the critical and commercial success of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and the eternal interest in the Shrek franchise, we now know the tease was much more than a nice idea. Shrek is officially coming back, and 2026 can't get here soon enough.

The big question now becomes how the Puss in Boots ending will factor into Shrek 5. DreamWorks could use The Last Wish to set up the story of Shrek 5, meaning that Puss and his cohorts are going to be a part of the story. That said, Shrek 5 could also be used to show what Shrek, Donkey, and Fiona have been up to since Shrek Forever After, with those events taking place at the same time as the Puss in Boots films. It wouldn't be a big surprise to see Shrek 5 end with the arrival of Puss in Boots, teeing up another film featuring both sets of characters.

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