We all know that Shrek is love, Shrek is life – so the internet was understandably elated when DreamWorks announced that a fifth Shrek film was finally in the works. Although it won’t hit cinemas until 2026, it’s been over a decade since we last saw Shrek, Fiona, and the whole gang in ‘Shrek Forever After.’ After months of sparse updates about the movie, DreamWorks dropped several huge pieces of news last week – including the fact that two-time Emmy Award-winner Zendaya will be voicing Shrek’s daughter. But with that exciting news came the most divisive reaction to the film so far, sparked by the release of a first look teaser. In just under 30 seconds, a number of fans began to question something they hadn’t considered before: ‘what if this movie is bad?’
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A New Look For The Swamp Squad
Fans were introduced to the updated animated renditions of Shrek, Fiona, Donkey, Pinocchio, and the new character of Felicia. Asking the Magic Mirror the famous question – ‘who’s the fairest of them all?’ – the characters, voiced by Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, and Eddie Murphy, were presented with several images of Shrek photoshopped onto internet memes (think six-pack abs, a bodysuit, and major duck lips). While some fans expressed concerns about the quality of the film’s storyline, this first look is hardly out of the ordinary for the Shrek franchise – known for taking any chance to parody aspects of pop culture like the iconic ‘Cops’ inspired sequence in ‘Shrek 2.’
However, the biggest gripe fans seem to have with this first look revolves around the animation style of the characters. Shrek and the gang certainly look different from how they appeared back in 2010. The updated art style should’ve been expected, considering the visual shift in the 2022 Shrek-universe film, ‘Puss In Boots: The Last Wish.’ While the suave cat’s modern look was near-universally praised, the ogre himself received quite a different reaction. There are obvious connections to the last big animation controversy – when the first images of Sonic the Hedgehog for his titular 2020 film were met with overwhelming negative responses about the creepiness and general low quality of the design.
Why Fans Are Divided
Despite the unprecedented move of the ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ design team deciding to completely redo the blue speedster’s design before the film’s release, there’s very small chance that ‘Shrek 5’ will take the same course of action after the initial feedback. The new animation style does admittedly give you pause at first. Nevertheless, much of the backlash to this first look may largely be due to fans’ expectations that the Shrek we see now would naturally remain the Shrek we grew up with. There are some valid criticisms purely about the quality of ‘Shrek 5’s’ animation – particularly with the appearance of Fiona (prompting many accusations that they ‘yassified’ the princess). But the natural disappointment that comes when something that evokes nostalgia and fondness suddenly changes seems to be influencing a large portion of fans’ reactions.
Time Will Tell
Since this 27-second teaser barely gives any concrete information on the actual content of the film, it’s still too early to judge how ‘Shrek 5’ will ultimately shake out. In addition to the mystery surrounding Zendaya’s Felicia – particularly on where exactly her two siblings are – it appears that everyone’s favourite ogre is ready to make his introduction to a new generation. While the increasing prevalence of ‘legacy sequels’ such as ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ and ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuce’ has mostly been embraced, animated counterparts like ‘Finding Dory’ and now ‘Shrek 5’ occupy a more unusual space in fans’ minds. It’s easier to accept that an actor has aged than to consider that major aspects of animation design have evolved over the past decade. We’ll be keeping an open mind about our big green childhood friend – and rewatching the Fairy Godmother’s rendition of ‘Holding Out For A Hero’ if we’re left disappointed.
Born in Korea and raised in Hong Kong, Min Ji has combined her degree in anthropology and creative writing with her passion for going on unsolicited tangents as an editor at Friday Club. In between watching an endless amount of movies, she enjoys trying new cocktails and pastas while occasionally snapping a few pictures.
