Hollywood is loving Millennials lately. Or, perhaps, it is loving the disposable income that Millennials seem to have. In that spirit, rumors are swirling that we’ll soon see a return of our favorite giant green ogre. Nothing has been confirmed yet but there are signs that Shrek could be back on the big screen and it all starts with Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.

2022’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish featured some of the most beautiful animation we’ve seen from Dreamworks, but it also laid the groundwork for Shrek’s triumphant return in the future after 2010's Shrek Forever After. That’s because of an ending that explicitly shows Puss in Boots commandeering a ship and returning to the magical kingdom of Far, Far Away, where the majority of the Shrek films take place, to visit “some old friends.”

This line is almost certainly a throwaway bit of dialogue from the writers to help remind us that Puss in Boots was once merely a supporting character in someone else’s story, but by leaving the door open for a fifth Shrek movie they’ve all but guaranteed it will happen. Not only with the ending but because Puss in Boots: The Last Wish did so well at the box office. The movie made $484 million at the global box office against a $110 million budget, making it one of the most profitable movies of the year. The only thing more powerful than wishing stars is Hollywood’s ability to sense a payday on the horizon.

We’re not saying that Shrek 5 is definitely going to happen – there are a lot of pieces to get into place to ensure that the stars reprise their roles. However, considering the way that Puss in Boots: The Last Wish ends and the box office success will almost certainly make an executive at Dreamworks Animation see dollar signs in their sleep.

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