How many Shrek movies are there?

The Shrek movie series is one of the most popular animated franchises. It was made by Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Joe Stillman, and Roger S. H. Schulman. The movie series is loosely based on the 1990s' children's book ‘Shrek!’ written by William Steig. The franchise started with the 1st film, Shrek, which was released in 2001. The film was loved by both kids and adults because of its humor, unique characters, and fairy tale story with a twist. The cast of the franchise includes Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and John Lithgow. The franchise became the 18th highest-grossing film franchise of all time.

Unlike traditional fairy tales, Shrek made fun of classic stories while still telling a heartwarming tale about friendship, love, and self-acceptance. Because of the huge success of the 1st movie, more Shrek films were made over the years. Each film continues the story of Shrek, the grumpy but kind-hearted ogre, his wife Princess Fiona, and his sidekick Donkey. So far, there have been 4 main Shrek movies, along with two spin-offs and upcoming films. Let’s take a look at how many Shrek movies are there.

Shrek (2001)

The 1st Shrek was released on May 18, 2001, directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson. The film’s story revolves around Shrek, an ogre who lives alone in a swamp. He is grumpy but kind-hearted. His life turns when Lord Farquaad sends many fairy tale creatures to his swamp. To get his home back, Shrek agrees to rescue Princess Fiona from a tower guarded by a dragon. Along the way, he becomes friends with Donkey, and together, they go on an adventure. However, Shrek soon discovers that Fiona has a secret. This film was a big hit and won the first-ever Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Shrek 2 (2004)

The 2nd film in the franchise was Shrek 2, released on May 19, 2004. The film is directed by Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury and Conrad Vernon. In this film, Shrek and Fiona visit Far Far Away, Fiona’s kingdom, to meet her parents, King Harold and Queen Lillian. However, they are shocked to see that Fiona has married Shrek, an ogre. Meanwhile, the Fairy Godmother and her son, Prince Charming, try to break Shrek and Fiona apart so that Charming can marry Fiona instead. This film introduced new characters like Puss in Boots who became a fan favorite.

Shrek the Third (2007)

Shrek the Third is the 3rd film of the franchise. It was directed by Chris Miller. It was released on May 18, 2007. In this film, King Harold passes away, and Shrek is expected to take the throne. Shrek does not want to be king, so he sets out to find Arthur (Artie) Pendragon, the only other heir to the throne. Meanwhile, Prince Charming gathers all the villains to take over the kingdom. Fiona and the other princesses fight back while Shrek, Donkey, and Puss bring Artie back to the kingdom. This film focuses on Shrek’s fear of becoming a father, as Fiona is pregnant with their 1st child.

Shrek Forever After (2010)

Shrek Forever After is the 4th film in the series. It was released on May 21, 2010 and directed by Mike Mitchell. In this film, Shrek is tired of his life as a family man. He wants to feel feared like in the old days and for this, he makes a deal with Rumpelstiltskin. This deal creates an alternate reality where Shrek was never born, and Rumpelstiltskin rules the kingdom. In this reality, Fiona is a warrior princess and Shrek must find Fiona and make her fall in love with him again to restore everything. This film provided a satisfying ending to Shrek’s journey.

Shrek 5 (2026)

The upcoming Shrek 5 will be the 5th movie of the movie series. The film is scheduled to be released in the United States on December 23, 2026. The film will be directed by Walt Dohrn and Conrad Vernon. The original voice cast will be joining, including Mike Myers as Shrek, Eddie Murphy as Donkey, and Cameron Diaz as Princess Fiona. The new addition in the cast is Zendaya - she will join the cast as Felicia, Shrek and Fiona's teenage daughter.