'Shrek' Reboot in the Works From 'Despicable Me' Producer

It's been announced that a Shrek reboot is in the works from Despicable Me and The Secret Life of [...]

It's been announced that a Shrek reboot is in the works from Despicable Me and The Secret Life of Pets producer Chris Meledandri.

According to Variety, Universal Pictures has hired the famed animation producer to revive the lovable ogre's franchise, which includes the Puss in Boots spin-off.

While the look of the characters may get upgraded, Meledandri has no plans to change the iconic voices behind them, such as Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and Antonio Banderas.

"When you look back on those vocal performances they're awesome, and while you certainly could make a case for a complete reinvention, I find myself responding to my own nostalgic feelings of wanting to go back to those characterizations," Meledandri said while speaking to the outlet.

"The challenge for us has been to find something that really does feel like it's not simply yet another film in a series of sequels," he added.

The Shrek franchise began in 2001 with the release of the first film, simply titled after the swamp-dwelling ogre. Shrek 2 was released in 2004, followed by Shrek the Third in 2007, and Shrek Forever After in 2010.

It also spawned the Puss in Boots spin-off film and Netflix series, as well as multiple shorts and TV specials. Shrek is not the only franchise that Meledandri is working on, however, as he is also working on a feature film version of the Super Mario Bros. that is expected to debut in 2022.

"It's an ambitious task," Meledandri shared. "The challenge is taking things that are so thin in their original form and finding depth that doesn't compromise what generations of fans love about Mario, but also feels organic to the iconography and can support a three-act structure."

Most recently, Meledandri's big achievement is the new Grinch film, which is opening in theaters this Friday, Nov. 9. "It's about hope versus hopelessness," Meledandri says of the Seussian tale.

"The underlying story of The Grinch is about how the innocence of one child is able to crack this character's facade and to get him to see the world from a different perspective. It's a story that has a lot of relevance today," he added. Notably, this is Meledandri's third time adapting a Suess story, as he previously did animated versions of Horton Hears a Who and The Lorax.

At this time, there is no word on when the Shrek reboot may make its way to theaters.

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