Shrek Movies Ranked: Best to Worst, All Six Films

I rank the six Shrek films by how well each one tells its own story, how well the jokes and the feelings share a scene, and how much I still enjoy it on a rewatch. That covers the four main Shrek films plus two spin-offs starring Puss in Boots, all from DreamWorks Animation. Box office is a supporting fact rather than a vote (the grosses below come from Box Office Mojo), and every call about order is my opinion, hedged where it was close.

Shrek 2 (2004) ranks first because it takes a finished love story and tests it against the hardest audience of all, the parents. Directed by Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury and Conrad Vernon, the 92 minute sequel sends Shrek and Fiona from their honeymoon to Far Far Away, where King Harold (John Cleese) and Queen Lillian (Julie Andrews) discover that their daughter and her husband are both ogres. Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders) has her own plan, which is to marry Fiona to her son, Prince Charming (Rupert Everett).

In my opinion the sequel wins because every new character has a job in one central question: does Shrek belong in Fiona's world? Antonio Banderas voices Puss in Boots, and Eddie Murphy's Donkey comes along for the trip. It is also the commercial peak of the saga, at about $933 million worldwide on a $150 million budget, and it screened in competition at Cannes on 15 May 2004. The soundtrack carries Accidentally in Love by Counting Crows and Holding Out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler.

Shrek (2001) ranks second because its structure is the tightest in the series, even if the sequel has the bigger heart. Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, the 90 minute film follows a grumpy ogre who wants his swamp back from Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) and agrees to rescue Princess Fiona from a castle guarded by a dragon. Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz carry the leads.

The casting has its own story. CBS News reports that Chris Farley recorded most of the lines before his death, and the producers restarted with Mike Myers and his Scottish accent for the ogre. It earned about $490 million worldwide on a $60 million budget. If you want one film that explains why the saga exists, this is it.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) ranks third because it is the most visually adventurous film in the series and the one most willing to be afraid of something. Directed by Joel Crawford, the 103 minute film finds Puss down to the last of his nine lives and chasing a wishing star while a hooded wolf (Wagner Moura) stalks him. Salma Hayek Pinault returns as Kitty Softpaws, Harvey Guillén joins as Perrito, and Florence Pugh voices Goldilocks alongside Olivia Colman and Ray Winstone as Mama Bear and Papa Bear.

Syfy reports that the painterly look grew from an idea by Nate Wragg, with a hand drawn opening and stepped animation in the action. It earned about $480 million worldwide on a $110 million budget, and it arrived after an 11 year wait for a follow up to Puss in Boots (2011). I place it below the two best Shrek films only because it belongs to a different tone than the swamp.

Shrek Forever After (2010) sits fourth because its idea is the boldest of the four main films while its middle stretch is the thinnest. Directed by Mike Mitchell, it begins with Shrek as a settled family man with Fiona and three ogre babies, missing the days when people feared him. Rumpelstiltskin (Walt Dohrn) offers a deal for one day as a real ogre, and Shrek signs without reading the fine print.

Jon Hamm, Jane Lynch and Craig Robinson join the ensemble as Brogan, Gretched and Cookie. The film opened the Tribeca Film Festival on April 21, 2010, as the first 3D film to do so according to TheWrap, and it reached wide release on May 21. It earned about $753 million worldwide on a $165 million budget, which makes it the third biggest earner of the six. Perhaps a rewatch with a grown up eye is kinder than my first impression suggests.

Puss in Boots (2011) ranks fifth because it is a charming caper whose emotional weight rests almost entirely on one friendship. Directed by Chris Miller, the 90 minute film has Puss team up with Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek Pinault) and Humpty Dumpty (Zach Galifianakis) to steal the magic beans from Jack (Billy Bob Thornton) and Jill (Amy Sedaris) and climb to a giant's castle for golden goose eggs.

Guillermo del Toro is an executive producer and also voices the Moustache Man and Comandante, and Henry Jackman composed the score. The film earned about $555 million worldwide on a $130 million budget, which is more than Shrek (2001) and more than Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. That being said, I rank on storytelling, and here the Western flavored adventure is lighter than the films above it.

Shrek the Third (2007) ranks sixth because it spreads a good idea across too many characters. Directed by Chris Miller and Raman Hui, it starts with King Harold's death, leaving Shrek, who wants only to go home to his swamp, next in line for the throne. Shrek sets off with Donkey and Puss in Boots to find Fiona's cousin Artie (Justin Timberlake), while Prince Charming gathers the fairy tale villains.

A reluctant king is a clever premise, and the cast is full of talent, including Amy Poehler as Snow White, Maya Rudolph as Rapunzel and Ian McShane as Captain Hook. In my opinion, though, the story scatters its attention so widely that Shrek and Fiona lose the spotlight. The business was huge anyway: Screen Daily reported an animated opening record at the time across 4,122 theaters, and the film finished at about $808 million worldwide.

Shrek and Shrek 2 are the best starting points for younger children, while Puss in Boots: The Last Wish suits slightly older viewers because of its stalking wolf. All six films are rated PG in the US and Australia; the UK rates five U and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish PG. I use the official ratings rather than my own, and the age call above is a matter of taste, so preview the wolf scenes if your child is sensitive.

Four films stream on Peacock and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish on Netflix in the US, and Shrek 5 arrives June 30, 2027. Shrek, Shrek 2, Shrek the Third and Shrek Forever After are the Peacock titles as of November 3, 2026, according to JustWatch data on TMDB. The where to watch Shrek page lists every service by country. If you are new to the saga, follow the Shrek movies in order guide, then return here to argue with me.

Shrek 5 is confirmed for June 30, 2027, according to Variety, after moving from December 23, 2026, so the Shrek 5 page will tell you what changes. For the full list of titles, see the Shrek movies hub, or read the individual pages for Shrek 2001, Shrek 2, Shrek the Third, Shrek Forever After, Puss in Boots and Puss in Boots The Last Wish.