All 6 Shrek and Puss in Boots Movies Ranked From Worst to Best
Trying to rank the Shrek movies from worst to best sounds ridiculously easy until you actually sit down and do it. You remember the obvious classics, the jokes you have been quoting for years, Donkey refusing to stop talking, Puss making those enormous innocent eyes, and Shrek repeatedly discovering that his quiet little swamp is apparently the least peaceful place in the entire fairy-tale world.
This ranking makes that decision easier by revisiting all six released theatrical movies in the Shrek universe: the four main Shrek films and the two Puss in Boots spin-offs. I went back through what each movie actually brings to the franchise, from comedy and characters to villains, emotional storytelling, animation, action and, most importantly, how much I genuinely want to watch it again.
And 2026 feels like the perfect time to do it. The original Shrek celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, while DreamWorks is preparing to bring Shrek, Fiona and Donkey back for Shrek 5 on June 30, 2027. Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy are returning, while Zendaya has joined the cast as Shrek and Fiona's daughter Felicia.
What makes this franchise particularly fun to revisit is how different these movies actually are. The original Shrek is a fairy-tale parody with a surprisingly sincere romance underneath it, Shrek 2 becomes a huge Hollywood-style comedy sequel, Shrek Forever After gets much darker, and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish almost feels like it wandered in from a completely different era of animation.
There is also something slightly unfair about ranking them because even the weakest Shrek movie contains scenes I genuinely like. This isn't one of those franchises where the bottom entry is unwatchable and the top entry is the only one worth revisiting. Even when the storytelling gets messy, these movies still have memorable characters, great voice performances and at least one joke that somehow lodged itself permanently inside my brain.
For this ranking, I'm looking at the complete theatrical Shrek universe released so far: Shrek, Shrek 2, Shrek the Third, Shrek Forever After, Puss in Boots and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Shrek 5 isn't included because it hasn't been released yet, although its arrival makes now a very good time for a full Shrek movie marathon.
So grab some waffles, stay away from Fairy Godmother's potion cabinet, and please do not annoy the dragon.
Let's get into it 👇
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6. Shrek the Third (2007)
I don't hate Shrek the Third nearly as much as its reputation suggests I should. There are genuinely funny moments here, Eddie Murphy is still incapable of making Donkey boring, and Antonio Banderas continues stealing scenes as Puss in Boots. The problem is that this is the first Shrek movie where you can almost feel the franchise running on the reputation of what came before it.
Shrek the Third picks up with Shrek and Fiona living in Far Far Away while King Harold's failing health creates a rather large succession problem. Shrek wants absolutely nothing to do with becoming king, so he, Donkey and Puss set off to find Arthur, Fiona's teenage cousin and another possible heir to the throne. Meanwhile, Prince Charming gathers a collection of neglected fairy-tale villains and launches his own attempt to seize the kingdom.
There are pieces of a very good movie hiding inside that premise. Shrek's anxiety about becoming a father gives Mike Myers more emotional material, while Justin Timberlake's Arthur brings a younger outsider into a franchise that has always been fascinated by people who don't fit the role society assigns them. Unfortunately, the story keeps separating its best characters, and Prince Charming simply isn't strong enough to carry the movie as its central villain after being considerably funnier as Fairy Godmother's spoiled son.
The biggest issue is momentum. Shrek and Donkey's chemistry is still there, but the adventure rarely has the wild unpredictability of the first movie or the breathless comedy of Shrek 2. Even the jokes feel slightly safer, which is strange considering this is a franchise that built an empire partly by making fairy-tale characters behave terribly.
Still, I'd never call it completely bad. Fiona finally gets more time alongside Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Doris, and their escape sequence is easily one of the movie's better ideas. There is enough Shrek DNA here to make it an entertaining family movie; it just happens to be surrounded by five stronger ones.
Best for: Franchise completists, younger viewers and anyone who wants more Donkey and Puss chaos.
Where to watch: In the UK, Shrek the Third is currently streaming on Netflix and BBC iPlayer, with rental and purchase options also available through services including Amazon Video and Apple TV. Streaming availability varies by country.
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5. Puss in Boots (2011)
Puss in Boots was exactly the character you would expect DreamWorks to spin off after Shrek. He's dramatic, ridiculously confident, surprisingly dangerous and somehow capable of turning the removal of a tiny hat into an emotional event. Antonio Banderas had already made him one of the funniest characters in the franchise, so giving him his own adventure made complete sense.
Set before Puss meets Shrek and Donkey, the 2011 movie follows the legendary feline outlaw as he attempts to obtain magical beans connected to Jack and the Beanstalk. His mission brings him together with the brilliant thief Kitty Softpaws and childhood friend Humpty Alexander Dumpty, whose complicated history with Puss quickly turns what looks like a simple treasure hunt into something far more personal.
What I like most about Puss in Boots is that it doesn't simply remake Shrek with a cat. Director Chris Miller leans into westerns, adventure films and Spanish-flavoured swashbuckling cinema, creating a different corner of this fairy-tale universe. Banderas completely commits to every absurdly heroic line, while Salma Hayek gives Kitty enough confidence and attitude to become much more than Puss's romantic interest.
Humpty Dumpty is where the movie becomes more interesting than I remembered. Zach Galifianakis gives him a mixture of sadness, jealousy and manipulation, and the childhood friendship between Humpty and Puss provides the story with a surprisingly emotional backbone.
I just don't think every part works equally well. Jack and Jill are amusing without becoming particularly memorable villains, and some stretches of the middle feel noticeably less energetic than the best Shrek adventures.
Even so, this is a charming animated fantasy adventure that proves Puss can carry a movie without Shrek standing beside him. More importantly, it establishes Kitty Softpaws, expands Puss's history and lays foundations that would eventually lead to something extraordinary.
Best for: Puss fans, adventure movie lovers and families wanting a fun standalone entry into the Shrek universe.
Where to watch: UK viewers can currently stream Puss in Boots through Amazon Prime Video, Sky Go and BBC iPlayer, with digital rental and purchase options also available.
4. Shrek Forever After (2010)
Shrek Forever After is probably the movie that improved the most for me on a rewatch. I remembered it as the slightly gloomy fourth Shrek film that arrived after the franchise had already peaked. Watching it again, I realised there is considerably more going on underneath the angry alternate-universe version of Far Far Away.
Shrek has everything he once thought he could never have: Fiona, three children, loyal friends and a home filled with people who love him. The problem is that domestic life has become so repetitive that he misses the days when villagers feared him. Rumpelstiltskin recognises that frustration and tricks Shrek into signing a magical contract that erases the day he was born, creating a world in which Shrek never rescued Fiona and Rumpel rules Far Far Away.
That's a much darker idea than I remembered. Instead of finding happiness, Shrek has to confront what his life would look like if all those relationships he gradually built had simply never happened. Fiona has become a hardened warrior who doesn't know him, Donkey sees him as a stranger, and Puss has become hilariously comfortable living as Fiona's pampered cat.
Rumpelstiltskin deserves more credit too. Walt Dohrn gives him this wonderfully irritating combination of insecurity, theatricality and complete madness. He feels very different from Lord Farquaad or Fairy Godmother, which prevents the movie from simply recycling an old villain.
Where Shrek Forever After loses me slightly is the comedy. It is still funny, but the melancholy story naturally pushes some of the franchise's silliness into the background. That makes it less endlessly quotable than Shrek or Shrek 2.
Emotionally, though, it works. Shrek gradually understanding that the ordinary family life he resented was actually his happily ever after gives the film real weight. By the ending, the fourth movie feels less like an unnecessary sequel and more like a thoughtful conclusion to Shrek's original character journey.
Best for: Older Shrek fans and viewers who want the franchise at its most reflective.
Where to watch: In the UK, Shrek Forever After is currently available on Netflix and BBC iPlayer, alongside digital rental and purchase options.
You’ll also love: First 10 DreamWorks Movies, Ranked, where both Shrek and Shrek 2 feature among the studio's defining early films.
3. Shrek (2001)
Putting Shrek at No. 3 feels almost disrespectful. This is the movie that created everything we're talking about, won the first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and helped establish DreamWorks as a genuine rival in mainstream animation. Twenty-five years later, the original still feels bizarrely fresh.
The story begins with Shrek living exactly the life he wants: alone in his swamp, happily frightening anyone foolish enough to bother him. That peace disappears when Lord Farquaad banishes fairy-tale creatures onto Shrek's land. To reclaim his home, Shrek agrees to rescue Princess Fiona from a dragon-guarded tower so Farquaad can marry her and become king, with an endlessly talkative Donkey joining Shrek on the journey.
What made Shrek revolutionary wasn't simply that it mocked fairy tales. Plenty of comedies had done that. The clever part was putting a genuinely tender story about loneliness, insecurity and self-acceptance underneath all the toilet jokes, pop-culture references and sarcastic Disney parody.
Mike Myers gives Shrek exactly the right mixture of aggression and vulnerability. He wants everyone to leave him alone partly because isolation is easier than giving people the chance to reject him. Fiona works for precisely the same reason; she begins as the storybook princess Shrek expects to rescue before gradually revealing that she has been hiding her own fear of being judged.
Then there is Eddie Murphy.
Donkey could have been exhausting. Instead, Murphy turns relentless talking into an art form, bouncing off Myers so naturally that their friendship becomes the engine of the franchise. The scene where Shrek explains that ogres have layers remains funny, but it also quietly tells you exactly who this character is.
Lord Farquaad is equally effective because John Lithgow understands the assignment completely. He isn't intimidating in a traditional sense. He's petty, theatrical, insecure and completely convinced he's magnificent.
The animation understandably shows its age in places, but the storytelling barely does. Shrek remains one of the best DreamWorks movies because beneath all the parody is an extremely simple idea: you don't need to become somebody else's version of beautiful to deserve love.
Best for: Everyone. If you've somehow never seen a Shrek movie, this is obviously where you start.
Where to watch: Shrek is currently streaming in the UK on Netflix and BBC iPlayer and can also be rented or purchased digitally from services such as Amazon Video and Apple TV.
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2. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)
I was not prepared for Puss in Boots: The Last Wish to be this good. I went in expecting another entertaining DreamWorks spin-off and walked away wondering how a sequel about the dramatic sword-fighting cat from Shrek 2 had somehow become one of the studio's richest movies.
Puss discovers that his years of reckless adventures have cost him eight of his nine lives. For the first time, death suddenly feels frighteningly real. When Puss learns about a magical wishing star capable of restoring his lost lives, he sets out with Kitty Softpaws and an relentlessly optimistic therapy dog named Perrito, while Goldilocks and the Three Bears crime family, Jack Horner and a terrifying wolf pursue the same prize.
The animation immediately tells you this isn't going to be business as usual. Director Joel Crawford and the DreamWorks team use painterly textures, exaggerated movement and deliberately shifting frame rates to make the action resemble illustrated storybook art coming alive. It gives the movie an energy unlike anything in the earlier Shrek films.
But the real surprise is the writing.
Puss has spent his entire life behaving as though consequences happen to other people. Suddenly, he is terrified of dying, and the movie actually allows him to be scared. Antonio Banderas finds an unexpected vulnerability beneath all that swagger, particularly as Puss begins experiencing panic and realises that another life will not magically appear if he wastes this one.
And then there is the Wolf.
I still think Death is one of DreamWorks' most effective antagonists. Wagner Moura barely needs to raise his voice; the whistle does half the work. Every appearance makes the movie feel genuinely dangerous because Puss can't defeat what the Wolf represents by simply becoming better with a sword.
Kitty Softpaws is also substantially better developed here, while Perrito somehow avoids becoming the irritating comic sidekick he easily could have been. Even Goldilocks and the bears receive an emotional storyline about family and belonging.
There are movies here that mean more to the history of animation. There is one movie I'm about to rank above it because I think it represents Shrek at its absolute funniest. But in terms of visual invention, character development and emotional maturity, The Last Wish might be the most accomplished film in the entire franchise.
Best for: Animation fans, older Shrek viewers, families and anyone who likes fantasy adventures with considerably more emotional depth than expected.
Where to watch: Streaming libraries change regularly by territory, so check your local service before watching. The film remains widely available through major digital rental and purchase platforms.
You’ll also love: 10 Best Eddie Murphy Movies, Ranked, particularly if Donkey is one of the main reasons you keep returning to Shrek.
🎧 Before we reveal our No. 1 pick, you can also discover original romantic audio dramas from That Love Podcast.
1. Shrek 2 (2004)
Yes, Shrek 2 is still No. 1.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish may be more visually ambitious, Shrek may be more historically important, and Shrek Forever After arguably gives its hero the most mature character arc. But if you asked me which Shrek movie I could put on tonight and enjoy from beginning to end without changing a thing, I'm choosing Shrek 2.
After their honeymoon, Shrek and Fiona receive an invitation from Fiona's parents, King Harold and Queen Lillian, to visit the kingdom of Far Far Away. There is one fairly important detail her parents don't know: Fiona has married an ogre and permanently become one herself. Their disastrous family reunion becomes even more complicated when Fairy Godmother and her son Prince Charming begin manipulating events in an attempt to restore the romantic future they believe Fiona was supposed to have.
Everything sequels are normally told to do, Shrek 2 does brilliantly.
It expands the world without losing what made the first movie work. Far Far Away becomes a hilarious fairy-tale version of Hollywood, complete with celebrity culture, expensive shops and ridiculously wealthy residents. The movie adds Puss in Boots without pushing Donkey aside and gives Fiona's parents their own emotional conflicts rather than treating them as simple obstacles.
Jennifer Saunders' Fairy Godmother might also be the best villain in the entire series. She is funny enough to belong in Shrek but threatening enough that you believe she can actually destroy Shrek and Fiona's relationship. Rupert Everett's Prince Charming works beautifully beside her because he is basically a handsome fairy-tale hero who has never considered the possibility that somebody might not want him.
And then we reach the finale.
The entire sequence built around Fairy Godmother performing "Holding Out for a Hero" while Shrek, Donkey and Puss race toward Fiona remains one of the greatest endings DreamWorks has produced. It is funny, romantic, ridiculously energetic and emotionally satisfying all at once. Mongo attacking the castle while giant coffee cups fall from the Far Far Away equivalent of Starbucks is exactly the kind of nonsense this franchise does better than anybody.
Antonio Banderas also arrives as Puss and immediately justifies his existence. His first confrontation with Shrek turns from threatening assassin to coughing up a hairball in seconds, and somehow he goes from hired killer to essential member of the group without the transition feeling forced.
Most importantly, Shrek 2 doesn't undo the original movie.
Shrek and Fiona already love each other. The conflict comes from Shrek's fear that love may not be enough if he can't give Fiona the life he thinks she deserves. His decision to drink the Happily Ever After potion isn't about wanting to become handsome for himself; it comes from the insecurity that Fiona might have been happier with somebody else.
That gives all the comedy something real to sit on.
Shrek 2 is bigger than Shrek, but it isn't emptier. It has more characters, more action, more pop-culture jokes, a bigger setting and an enormous musical climax, yet it still understands that this franchise works because Shrek is an insecure man who slowly learns to believe that someone could genuinely love him exactly as he is.
That is why, more than two decades later, Shrek 2 remains my favourite movie in the franchise.
Best for: Pretty much anybody who likes animated comedy, fairy-tale movies, family films, romantic adventures or sequels that actually improve upon their originals.
Where to watch: As of August 12, 2026, Shrek 2 is streaming in the UK on Netflix and BBC iPlayer. It is also available to rent or buy through Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Sky Store and Rakuten TV.
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Final Thoughts
The thing I love about revisiting the Shrek movies is realising how much better this franchise is than the endless memes sometimes make it seem. Yes, Shrek has become one of the internet's favourite characters. Yes, Donkey has supplied enough quotes to keep family group chats alive indefinitely. And yes, somebody somewhere will probably still shout "Somebody once told me" whenever Smash Mouth starts playing.
But beneath all of that is a franchise unusually committed to characters who feel like outsiders.
Shrek believes nobody could love an ogre. Fiona spends years believing the person she really is must remain hidden. Donkey desperately wants connection. Puss hides fear behind heroic confidence. Even The Last Wish takes a character defined by arrogance and asks what happens when he finally has to accept that his life is finite.
That's why the best Shrek movies still work as adults.
If you want the movie that started everything, go with Shrek. If you want something darker and more reflective, Shrek Forever After deserves another chance. If you want gorgeous modern animation and surprisingly mature storytelling, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is the obvious choice.
But if I'm allowed only one, I'm still picking Shrek 2.
It takes everything good about the original movie and somehow increases the scale without sacrificing its heart. Fairy Godmother is brilliant, Puss is introduced perfectly, Far Far Away is one of the franchise's funniest ideas, and that final "Holding Out for a Hero" sequence remains almost impossible to beat.
And thankfully, the swamp isn't finished with us yet. Shrek 5 is currently scheduled for June 30, 2027, with Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz returning, alongside Zendaya as Felicia. A standalone Donkey movie is also planned for June 30, 2028, meaning DreamWorks clearly has much bigger plans for this world.
Now the important question: what would your ranking look like? Is Shrek 2 still king, does the original deserve No. 1, or did Puss in Boots: The Last Wish quietly become the greatest Shrek movie of them all?
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FAQs About the Shrek Movies
1. What is the best Shrek movie?
My pick for the best Shrek movie is Shrek 2. The original remains the most important movie in the franchise, but Shrek 2 takes its characters into a much bigger world without losing their emotional core. It also introduces Puss in Boots, gives us Fairy Godmother and builds toward one of the best musical climaxes in any DreamWorks animated movie.
2. How many Shrek and Puss in Boots movies are there?
There are currently six released theatrical feature films in the wider Shrek universe: four Shrek movies and two Puss in Boots films. Those are Shrek, Shrek 2, Shrek the Third, Shrek Forever After, Puss in Boots and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Shrek 5 is scheduled to expand that theatrical lineup in 2027. citeturn613673news64
3. What order should I watch the Shrek movies in?
For a first-time viewer, I recommend release order: Shrek, Shrek 2, Shrek the Third, Shrek Forever After, Puss in Boots and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Puss in Boots is technically set before Puss meets Shrek, but watching in release order allows the franchise and its animation style to develop naturally.
4. Is Puss in Boots: The Last Wish connected to Shrek?
Yes. Puss in Boots is the same Antonio Banderas-voiced character introduced in Shrek 2, and The Last Wish is part of the wider Shrek universe. You don't need to remember every Shrek movie to understand it, though. The Last Wish tells a largely standalone adventure centred on Puss, Kitty Softpaws and Perrito.
5. Why is Shrek 2 considered so good?
Shrek 2 is a rare sequel that expands almost every element of the original without simply repeating it. Far Far Away gives the writers an entire new collection of fairy-tale and Hollywood jokes, while Puss in Boots and Fairy Godmother immediately become essential characters. Most importantly, Shrek and Fiona's relationship remains at the centre of the story.
6. What is considered the worst Shrek movie?
Shrek the Third is generally the franchise entry I would place last, although I don't think it's terrible. It has funny sequences and a strong voice cast, but its Arthur storyline never becomes as engaging as the adventures in the first two movies. Prince Charming also works better as a supporting antagonist than the main threat.
7. Which Shrek movie is the funniest?
For me, Shrek 2 is the funniest because the jokes come from almost every direction. You have Shrek dealing with his in-laws, Donkey competing with Puss, Far Far Away parodying Hollywood, Pinocchio's rescue mission, Mongo storming the castle and Fairy Godmother behaving like a terrifying show-business manager. The comedy rarely slows down.
8. Which Shrek movie has the best villain?
Fairy Godmother in Shrek 2 gets my vote. Jennifer Saunders makes her hilarious, theatrical and genuinely threatening at the same time. Death from Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is arguably the most intimidating antagonist connected to the franchise, while Lord Farquaad remains one of its funniest.
9. Where can I stream the Shrek movies?
Streaming availability depends heavily on your country and changes over time. As of August 12, 2026, UK viewers can currently find several Shrek movies on Netflix and BBC iPlayer, while Puss in Boots is available through services including Amazon Prime Video, Sky Go and BBC iPlayer. Digital rental and purchase options are also widely available. citeturn199851search0turn532449view0turn199851search1
10. Is Shrek 5 still happening?
Yes. Shrek 5 is currently scheduled for June 30, 2027 after earlier release-date changes. Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz are returning as Shrek, Donkey and Fiona, and Zendaya voices Shrek and Fiona's daughter Felicia. citeturn613673news64
For official updates on the franchise, you can also follow DreamWorks Animation and Universal Pictures as Shrek 5 moves closer to release.
More Places to Find Great Movies and TV Shows
If you're on the hunt for your next favourite TV show or movie, there's no shortage of resources to help you discover something worth watching. If you're looking for a new release, an underrated gem or a timeless classic, these websites are useful places to continue your search.
IMDb — One of the biggest sources for movie and TV show information, including cast, crew, release dates and user ratings.
Rotten Tomatoes — Aggregates movie and television reviews from professional critics and audiences.
Metacritic — Compiles critic reviews and scores for movies, television, games and more.
Wikipedia — A useful starting point for cast information, production history, franchise timelines and plot details.
TV Guide — Television listings, recommendations, reviews and entertainment coverage.
Entertainment Weekly — Entertainment news, interviews, reviews and features covering movies and television.
Deadline Hollywood — Industry news covering film, television, streaming and Hollywood.
The Hollywood Reporter — Entertainment news, industry analysis, interviews and reviews across film and television.
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