Shrek Forever After (also known as Shrek 4, previously promoted as Shrek Goes Fourth and Shrek: The Final Chapter, and released on home media as Shrek Forever After: The Final Chapter) is a 2010 American computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the 1990 children's picture book Shrek! by William Steig, produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It is the sequel to Shrek the Third (2007) and the fourth installment in the Shrek film series. The film was directed by Mike Mitchell and written by Josh Klausner and Darren Lemke. The film stars Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, and John Cleese reprising their voice roles from the previous films, with Walt Dohrn joining the cast. The plot follows Shrek who struggles with the responsibilities and stress of being a domesticated family man, yearning for the days he was once feared and lived in solitude. He is tricked by Rumpelstiltskin into signing a contract that leads to disastrous consequences.
Shrek Forever After premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 21, 2010, and was theatrically released by Paramount Pictures in the United States on May 21, 2010. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed a worldwide total of $756 million, becoming the fifth-highest-grossing film of 2010. It debuted as the top-grossing film at the box office, a position held for three consecutive weeks in the United States and Canada. Two spin-offs, Puss in Boots (2011) and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022), have been released, while a fifth Shrek film is in development.
Plot[]
Years ago, King Harold and Queen Lillian were about to sign the kingdom of Far Far Away over to Rumpelstiltskin ("Rumpel") in exchange for lifting the curse of their daughter, Princess Fiona – cursed to transform into an ogre nightly and locked in a tower until rescued by her "true love". Before signing, news arrived that she had been saved, and they canceled the deal. In the present day, Rumpel has become an outcast and wishes that Fiona's rescuer, Shrek, was never born.
Meanwhile, Shrek has grown increasingly tired of being a family man and celebrity, longing for the days when he was feared and had privacy. While celebrating his children's first birthday in Far Far Away, an escalating series of mishaps enrages Shrek, causing him to storm out in anger and lash out at Fiona. Having witnessed the outburst, Rumpel follows Shrek into the forest and stages a scene of being in distress, prompting Shrek to help. Invited inside Rumpel's carriage, Shrek laments that he is no longer a "real ogre". Rumpel offers him a deal to receive a day as a "real ogre" in exchange for a day from his childhood. Shrek signs a contract fulfilling this wish, and is whisked away into an alternate reality.
Now feared by the villagers, Shrek causes some lighthearted mischief, until he discovers that Fiona is a fugitive and his swamp is deserted and desolate. Captured by witches, Shrek is taken to Rumpel, who is now the king of Far Far Away. Rumpel reveals to Shrek that he took the day he was born, meaning Shrek never existed in this altered timeline. Consequently, Harold and Lillian were forced to sign the kingdom over to Rumpel, causing them to disappear. When the day ends, Shrek will cease to exist.
Shrek escapes Rumpel's castle with Donkey, who is initially terrified of Shrek but befriends him after seeing him cry over his erased history. Donkey helps Shrek find a hidden exit clause; the contract can be nullified by "true love's kiss". The pair soon encounter a still-cursed Fiona leading an army of ogres in a resistance against Rumpel, and a lazy and overweight Puss in Boots being kept as Fiona's pet. Shrek unsuccessfully tries to woo Fiona, who has since lost hope of finding true love after not being rescued, and is too busy preparing an ambush on Rumpel. Puss encourages Shrek to continue pursuing Fiona.
During the ambush, most of the ogres are captured by the Pied Piper, who was hired by Rumpel, but Shrek and Fiona escape with Puss and Donkey. Shrek insists that Fiona kiss him, assuring her that it will fix everything; she reluctantly obliges, but to Shrek's surprise, nothing happens. Later on, Rumpel publicly offers a wish to anyone who brings him Shrek, and after hearing this, Shrek turns himself in. Rumpel is forced to grant Shrek's wish, and he uses it to free the other ogres. As Shrek is locked up, Rumpel reveals that Fiona had been captured and not released, since she is not "all ogre". Donkey, Puss, and the freed ogres storm the castle; they capture Rumpel and defeat his witch army, while Shrek and Fiona take down Dragon.
As the sun rises, Shrek begins to fade from existence, but Fiona, having fallen in love with him, kisses him just before he disappears. Seeing that she is still an ogre in the sunlight, Fiona realizes that her curse was broken and that she has assumed "love's true form". The alternate reality disintegrates, making everyone disappear, and Shrek finds himself transported back to the original timeline at the moment before he lost his temper at the party. Instead of lashing out, Shrek embraces his family and friends with a newfound appreciation for them.
Voice cast[]
Main article: List of Shrek (franchise) characters
- Mike Myers as Shrek
- Eddie Murphy as Donkey
- Cameron Diaz as Princess Fiona
- Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots
- Julie Andrews as Queen Lillian
- John Cleese as King Harold
- Walt Dohrn as Rumpelstiltskin
- Jon Hamm as Brogan the Ogre
- Jane Lynch as Gretched the Ogre
- Craig Robinson as Cookie the Ogre
- Lake Bell as Patrol Witch, Wagon Witch No. 2
- Kathy Griffin as Dancing Witch, Wagon Witch No. 1
- Mary Kay Place as Witch Guard No. 1
- Kristen Schaal as Pumpkin Witch, Palace Witch
- Conrad Vernon as Gingerbread Man
- Aron Warner as Wolf
- Christopher Knights as the Three Blind Mice
- Cody Cameron as Pinocchio and the Three Little Pigs
- Dante James Hauser as Fergus
- Chris Miller as Magic Mirror and Geppetto
- Meredith Vieira as Broomsy Witch
- Jeremy Steig as Pied Piper
- Larry King as Doris the Ugly Stepsister
- Regis Philbin as Mabel the Ugly Stepsister
- Mike Mitchell as Witch Guard No. 2 and Butter Pants
- Ryan Seacrest as Father of Butter Pants
Music[]
Main article: List of songs featured in Shrek § Shrek Forever After (2010)
Like the other Shrek films, the music was composed by British film composer Harry Gregson-Williams