Following the backlash overShrek 5’s redesigned characters, theSonic the Hedgehogmovie team has now joined in on the conversation. It has been 15 years since the last majorShrekmovie,Shrek Forever After, was released. There have been two spin-offs,Puss in Boots(2011) andPuss in Boots: The Last Wish(2022), but Mike Myers’s leading character has not had any major theatrical appearances since.The upcomingShrek 5was poised to reignite love for the franchise, but after the first trailer dropped, it has only brought merciless attacks on the new animation style.
Now, the team behindtheSonicmovieshas taken to TikTok to compare theShrek 5cast announcement to the original Sonic movie design. Considering that Sonic’s appearance was once similarly reviled, the videoinstructs “any green ogres looking for advice” to “take notes.“Check out the clip below:
What Sonic’s Outreach Means For Shrek 5
Shrek 5 Needs A Drastic Change
The original Sonic designremains infamous in movie culture. Rather than featuring the adorable character that has been a prominent face for decades, it warped his appearance by focusing on realism over aesthetics. As a result,Sonic appeared to be a human-like monstrositywith relatively small eyes, sunken cheeks, and a hauntingly realistic nose. After releasing footage featuring the design, the studio was forced to backtrack after facing constant complaints. The result was a prominent franchise with over $1 billion at the box office:
$148 million
$171 million
$319 million
Sonic the Hedgehog 2(2022)
$191 million
$215 million
$405 million
Sonic the Hedgehog 3(2024)
$235 million
$249 million
$484 million
$575 million
$634 million
$1.2 billion
TheShrek 5designsare not nearly as terrifying, but they still take away everything that made the original characters so compelling. Characters like Shrek and Fiona are seemingly aged to indicate the passing years to feature more realism. However, the animation style is seemingly off due to thesignificant departure from the stylized 3D animationof the first four movies. Naturally, that brought considerable backlash from audiences who were looking for a familiar appearance. The changes are relatively small, but they have still had a significant impact.
Our Take On Shrek 5’s Redesign
Sonic’s Offer Is Certainly Fitting
After this much backlash,Dreamworks Animation should listen to its viewers. Just as theSonicteam took the opportunity to update their designs, it may be time for Dreamworks to go back to the drawing board. It could significantly delay the December 2026 release date, but it could also mean saving the movie. IfSonicwas released with that design, it would likely have been a box office failure. Instead, it became an increasingly prominent franchise. IfShrek 5is to succeed, it should take a page out ofSonic the Hedgehog’s book.
