Shrek 5
Puss in Boots: The Last Wishhas been one of the best entries in the entire franchise, and one big part of the film’s success creates a huge obstacle forShrek 5.
With theconfirmation thatShrek 5is officially happening, the excitement has already begun to build for the return of the animated sensation, and for good reason.The iconic ogre has been away from the big screen for well over a decade, and 16 years will have passed by the timeShrek 5finally hits theaters, meaning the grand return will likely have plenty of surprises in store.
With the franchise only growing in popularity thanks to internet culture,Shrek 5seems likely to end the box office declinethat has been ongoing since the second film, and it could become one of the highest-grossing animated movies ever.
However, despite all of these positives, the upcoming project faces one major challenge thanks to its spinoff,Puss in Boots 2.
Alongside having stunning animation and a fascinating story,Puss in Boots: The Last Wishpossessed one excellent trait that helped make it a critically acclaimed hit, andShrek 5may struggle to replicate it.
The upcoming Shrek 5 anticipated sequel may or may not feature Puss in Boots to resume his journey from Puss In Boots: The Last Wish
Shrek 5 Will Struggle To Introduce A Better Villain Than Puss In Boots 2
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish’s Villain Was Arguably The Best In The Entire Shrek Franchise
WhileShrek 5may celebrate its classic animated characters reuniting, it also needs a compelling villain to drive the movie forward, and it will struggle to surpassPuss in Boots 2’s perfect antagonist.
Shrek 5 is the fifth installment in the popular animated film series.
The spinoff movie set the bar high forShrek 5in a lot of categories, but The Wolf AKA Death was one of its best qualities.
The villain proved how difficult it’ll be for the next installment to introduce an equally compelling foe, and givenShrek 5is the first entry in the franchise sinceThe Last Wish, it’ll be hard not to draw comparisons.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wishhas the highest critical and audience score on Rotten Tomatoes out of every Shrek movie.
Although the animated saga has had plenty of great antagonists in the past, very few have stood out quite as much as Death, who became a fan favorite despite his intimidating demeanor.Shrek 5also can’t copyThe Last Wishby introducing an equally scary and powerful villain, as the personal connection to the protagonist was part of what made him so great, highlighting the challenging task ahead for the 2026 film.
Therefore,the franchise will have to try and create another interesting and memorable villain specifically for Shrek to face off against, which will be extremely difficult.
Why Death Was The Perfect Villain In Puss In Boots: The Last Wish
Death’s Personal Connection With The Protagonist Made Him Extremely Menacing
Death wasn’t the only villain inPuss in Boots: The Last Wish, but he left the biggest impression for a variety of reasons.Alongside his fantastic design and menacing personality, Death was perfectly used throughout the film, constantly lurking in the background and biding his time when it came to the protagonist.
Although Puss has taken on numerous antagonists without fear, the fact he was down to his last life made Death so daunting.
The protagonist had never worried about mortality before, but with dying becoming a real possibility, Death’s presence made the movie so much more thrilling.
The villain was also given plenty of great lines and was part of some gorgeous animated sequences, making him hard to forget.
The villain was also given plenty of great lines and was part of some gorgeous animated sequences, making him hard to forget, but his ever-present role was what made him so iconic.
Given there was no clear way for Puss to defeat Death, it made his decision duringThe Last Wish’s endingall the more noble, as he chose to stay and fight the villain despite knowing the likely outcome.
The movie absolutely nailed everything about the character, and withShrek 5unlikely to produce a better antagonist, he could go down as the franchise’s greatest villain.
Shrek Movies
Budget
Box Office
Shrek(2001)
$60 million
$492 million
Shrek 2(2004)
$150 million
$932 million
Shrek the Third(2007)
$160 million
$813 million
Shrek Forever After(2010)
$165 million
$756 million
Puss in Boots(2011)
$130 million
$555 million
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish(2022)
$90 million
$485 million
Shrek 5 is the fifth installment in the popular animated film series.
