Trailer
Plot summary
Shrek lives by himself in a swamp he prizes, fending off intruders. When he rescues a talkative Donkey from soldiers, the Donkey refuses to leave his side. Lord Farquaad of Duloc has banished the land's fairy tale creatures, and they end up in the swamp. Furious, Shrek goes to demand that Farquaad move them, taking Donkey as a guide. Farquaad, who needs a princess if he is to become king, has chosen Princess Fiona, held in a castle guarded by a Dragon, and offers Shrek a bargain: bring her back and the creatures go elsewhere. Shrek and Donkey set out for the castle and meet the Dragon.
Cast
Show all 20 cast
- Michael Galassoas Peter Pan (voice)
- John Bisomas Merry Man (voice)
- Matthew Gonderas Merry Man (voice)
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Shrek (2001)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Chris Farley was the original voice of Shrek and had recorded nearly all the part before he died. David Spade said only five days of work were left; Farley's brother John was asked to finish the remaining lines and refused, and a reel of Farley's dialogue leaked in August 2015.
- Nicolas Cage was offered Shrek and said no because he did not want to be drawn as an ogre, explaining in 2013 that a cartoon likeness shapes how children see an actor more than anything else.
- Janeane Garofalo was cast as Princess Fiona opposite Chris Farley and then fired without ever being given a reason. She later guessed it was because she sometimes sounds like a man, adding that nobody ever told her.
- Steven Spielberg bought William Steig's book in 1991, before DreamWorks existed, and planned a traditionally animated version with Bill Murray voicing Shrek and Steve Martin voicing Donkey.
- Smash Mouth's "All Star" was only a placeholder over the opening titles, meant to be swapped for a sound-alike original by Matt Mahaffey's band Self called "Stay Home". Jeffrey Katzenberg told the filmmakers to keep the placeholder, and "Stay Home" went to the end credits instead.
- Shrek competed for the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 2001, the first animated film chosen for the festival's main competition since The Missing Link in 1980.
