Meme culture is highlighted in the Shrek 5 trailer, and it’s more meta than ever.
Though not everyone is enamored with the new animation style, the popular Shrek franchise has fully embraced meme culture.
From an oddball animated movie to one of the most recognizable pop-culture icons ever, Shrek has surprisingly grown into a cultural force in recent years. What began as a scathing spoof of traditional fairy tales in 2001 swiftly evolved into an unexpected franchise.
From an oddball animated movie to one of the most recognizable pop-culture icons ever, Shrek has surprisingly grown into a cultural force in recent years. What began as a scathing spoof of traditional fairy tales in 2001 swiftly evolved into an unexpected franchise.
Even though kids still love it, Shrek has had a significant impact on a generation of young adults who grew up watching the movies and enjoy its sardonic wit, social criticism, and irreverent comedy. Through its self-awareness and astute adult humor, the Shrek franchise has aged gracefully and remained relevant, inverting traditional fairy tales and making well-chosen contemporary culture references.
With Shrek 5, the Shrek franchise returns to theaters more than ten years after Shrek Forever After, and it immediately taps into the meme culture it helped create.
This was readily apparent from the first Shrek 5 teaser.
When Shrek and Donkey gaze into the magic mirror from the original movie in the trailer, it shows Shrek memes instead of the typical reflection. These include the iconic “duckface” sunglasses filter, a “buff” Shrek, and an oddball Shrek dancing in a glittering latex catsuit. The present digital era, when memes have taken on a life of their own, is reflected in these references to online humor.
Even while the trailer’s meme-based humor was a humorous throwback to Shrek’s past pop culture allusions, not everyone was thrilled. The character redesigns lacked the charm of the original movies, and many fans were taken aback by the new animation technique.
This was particularly apparent in the redesign of Zendaya’s voice for Shrek’s daughter, who several fans felt lacked the familiarity and warmth of the original characters. The new style didn’t appeal to everyone because it seemed unrelated to the aesthetic that made the first movies so popular.
The Shrek films have long been renowned for striking a balance between adult humor and kid-friendly antics, making them suitable for a wide range of audiences. From Shrek 2’s parody of Hollywood to
constantly mocking fairy tale conventions, the films have never shied away from commentary.
It seems Shrek 5 is leaning into the established trend by mixing its irreverent humor with meme culture. The opening scene of the teaser, where Shrek asks, “Who is making this stuff?” seems like a deliberate nod to the absurd amount of bizarre content found on the internet today.
The question remains: can these internet jokes and viral moments play an actual role in the storyline, or is it just a little marketing to attract digitally savvy audiences? It’s still unclear if memes are just a teaser element or if they will be incorporated into the plot itself, but one thing’s for sure—Shrek 5 has been made with the digital zeitgeist in mind.
Despite mixed reactions to the redesign and animation, there is incredible excitement about what the film will offer. As the franchise continues to evolve, fans are eager to see how the series will balance its beloved past with a meme-filled future.
Will the humor still work for longtime fans, or will the internet age leave Shrek behind? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: Shrek 5 has definitely grabbed everyone’s attention.
