It’s been six years since we saw Shrek on the big screen, but Hollywood can never let go of something, can it? According to Deadline, NBC Universal -- a subsidiary of Comcast -- is working to revive the beloved ogre following the company’s purchase of DreamWorks in late April.
NBC is primarily known for producing television, but now armed with the creative talent of DreamWorks’ animation team, the company is planning to “resurrect” Shrek for the movie theaters. Shrek isn’t the company’s only target, apparently. According to NBCU President Steve Burke, DreamWorks will aim to release four theatrical films per year, instead of the two they typically produce.
Burke has tasked Illumination Entertainment’s (another NBCU-owned animation house) Chris Meledandri with “help [sic] us figure out how to resurrect Shrek and take a lot of the existing DreamWorks franchises and add value as we create new franchises.”
What does that mean, exactly? It means Shrek 5, perhaps, or a complete reboot of the franchise along with investment in other DreamWorks titles. How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda and Madagascar strike one as obvious choices.
NBCU’s plans were announced at an investor gathering on Tuesday and there is currently no talent attached to the future Shrek film. Whether Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy or Antonio Banderas sign up for the movie remains to be seen.
We’ll keep you updated as this story develops.
