Sequels are notoriously difficult to pull off, even in the most popular of franchises. Capturing the movie magic of the original is difficult enough, particularly when there’s already nostalgia for movies built in—just look at Star Wars movies and TV shows. Yet, these efforts become even more complicated when it comes to movies that had the perfect, rounded-out ending.

There are many movies that could fit into this category, but easily among the most prominent are fairytales. After all, how can a story that ended “happily ever after” be satisfyingly revisited? Too many times, fairytale sequel attempts have missed the mark—yes, Cinderella II: Dreams Come True, that means you. However, fan-favorite animated movie Shrek did the seemingly impossible by putting out a beloved sequel movie, 22 years ago today.

Shrek 2 Is A Truly Impressive Sequel

Shrek 2 was released by DreamWorks in 2004, and while there were plenty of concerns going into the theatrical release that the sequel would fail to live up to its beloved predecessor, the movie managed to do something all too uncommon: It proved to be just as good as Shrek. In fact, some would go so far as to say it’s one of the sequels that are better than the original.

Among the factors that are in Shrek 2’s favor is the movie’s ability to bring the same combination of genuine hilarity and a storyline that actually has a fairly profound message that Shrek had. On the heels of Princess Fiona’s emotional decision to live her life as an ogre alongside Shrek, abandoning the norms she thought she wanted and picking true love over societal acceptance, she is summoned to her parents’ kingdom of Far, Far Away and has to deal with particularly her father’s rejection of Shrek.

What ensues is a narrative that explores identity, family dynamics, love, and self-sacrifice, all while Donkey and Shrek continue to make their gross but hilarious jokes and a legitimately stellar soundtrack accompanies the story. Clearly, audiences agreed that this sequel was a smashing success, as Shrek the Third and Shrek Forever After (Shrek 4) followed not long after—and now, fans are thrillingly getting yet another installment.

Everything We Know About Shrek 5 So Far

Shrek 5 is officially in development, with an anticipated release date of June 30, 2027. Given that Shrek Forever After was released in 2010, this means that there is a staggering 17-year gap between this sequel and the most recent Shrek movie, but hopefully that means the creative minds behind the new installment have taken their time to get it right. In fact, that very well may be why the project was pushed back from its original release date of December 2026.

Of course, there will always be a risk involved with sequels, even if a franchise has successfully pulled them off before (again, just look at Star Wars). However, if Shrek 2 is any indication of what’s to come, then fans have every reason to be excited about Shrek 5.

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