Earlier this week it was voted the best children's film ever (albeit by adults), so it's no surprise the producers of Shrek have greenlit yet another adventure in the franchise.
A fourth instalment, Shrek Goes Fourth, has already been announced and will hit cinemas in May 2010; now studio DreamWorks has hired a writer for a spin-off movie featuring Puss in Boots, the swashbuckling feline voiced by Antonio Banderas, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Puss made his debut in Shrek 2, the most successful of the series so far – its $880m (£614m) haul has won it a place on the all-time worldwide box-office top 15. The dapper moggy was originally hired to kill the not-so-jolly green ogre but ended up swearing a lifelong oath of loyalty in return for his life.
Tom Wheeler is writing the screenplay for Puss in Boots, which does not yet have a director attached. There is also no word on whether Banderas would reprise his role, although one suspects the film might struggle to make much impact without him.
All three Shrek films have grossed more than $450m at the global box office, with the latest effort, Shrek the Third, taking $791m. It did not receive the critical acclaim of the first two films, however, and cynics may think this latest bit of news smacks of barrel scraping.