Shrek is a comedic ogre featured in a series of motion pictures by the animation studio DreamWorks. The first movie, Shrek (2001), was loosely based on the picture book Shrek! (1990), by the cartoonist William Steig . The movie Shrek presents a playful take on traditional fairy tale themes, for example casting the ogre as a hero, rather than a monster. Shrek is considered to be a fine example of computer animation. The movie and its sequels were created using computer-generated imagery (CGI) . Shrek won the first ever Academy Award for best animated feature.
Shrek tells the story of a big, green ogre named Shrek who lives alone in a swamp. His life is disrupted when the swamp is invaded by fairy-tale characters. These characters have been driven from their homes by the villainous Lord Farquaad, ruler of the land of Duloc. To regain control of his home, Shrek agrees to go on a quest for Farquaad. Shrek must rescue the Princess Fiona from a tower guarded by a fire-breathing dragon. Shrek is joined in his quest by the talkative, excitable Donkey. Shrek and Donkey are to bring Fiona back to Duloc, so Farquaad can marry her.
Several well-known actors provided the voices for the characters. They include Mike Myers (Shrek), Eddie Murphy (Donkey), Cameron Diaz (Princess Fiona), and John Lithgow (Lord Farquaad). The film was directed by Andrew Adamson of New Zealand and Vicky Jenson of the United States. The screenplay is by the American writers Terry Rossio, Ted Elliott, Joe Stillman, and Roger S. H. Schulman.
Shrek inspired several sequels, including Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek the Third (2007), and Shrek Forever After (2010). Shrek 2 introduced several notable characters to the series, including Puss in Boots ( Antonio Banderas ), Prince Charming (Rupert Everett), and Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders). Puss in Boots starred in a spinoff movie, Puss in Boots (2011), and a TV series, “The Adventures of Puss in Boots” (2015-2018). Shrek the Musical, a stage musical based on the movie, opened on Broadway in 2008.
