As a gamer with a deep appreciation for movies and a soft spot for nostalgia, I can’t help but chuckle at Mike Myers’ journey with Shrek. It’s not every day that you get pitched one of the most iconic roles while still reeling from a heavy war movie like Saving Private Ryan. It’s akin to someone trying to sell you a unicorn after a marathon session of Call of Duty: World at War.
Mike Myers has become renowned for his diverse and iconic characters throughout his career, such as Wayne Campbell from the “Wayne’s World” sketch on Saturday Night Live and its two sequel movies, Austin Powers (with rumors of a fourth installment), and most notably, the voice of Shrek in the movie series. Interestingly enough, Myers was offered the role of Shrek at the premiere of Saving Private Ryan, one of the finest war films, which left him momentarily speechless with surprise and led to an unexpected use of a strong language expletive.
Should you have delved into the background of Shrek’s creation in 2001, you’d realize that Saturday Night Live alum Chris Farley was initially intended to voice the character, but tragically passed away in 1997 at the age of 33. Mike Myers took over the role, although his portrayal of Shrek differed significantly from the original concept when Farley was involved. In an interview with Vulture, Myers reminisced about how Shrek’s Scottish voice evolved and recounted that Jeffrey Katzenberg, co-founder of what was once Dreamworks SKG, approached him about Shrek at the premiere of one of Tom Hanks’ top films.
It was the craziest thing: I went to the premiere of Saving Private Ryan, and Jeffrey Katzenberg comes up to me afterward in the lobby and brings his daughters, who then do the dance sequence from Austin Powers. This was after such a heavy movie, and I was in tears, because my parents were in World War II, and I was shell-shocked, and then they’re doing the dance, and I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s great. (READ A ROOM.)’
I get where Mike Myers is coming from, given that he’d just wrapped up a hard-hitting WWII film. Following the intensity, jumping into the lively dance number from “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery” might not have been the wisest choice. It brings to mind one of the most humorous scenes on “Seinfeld”, where Jerry and his girlfriend were caught kissing during a screening of “Schindler’s List”.
Initially, things didn’t go well, and they continued to deteriorate when Mike Myers conveyed his dislike for the Shrek title to Jeffrey Katzenberg. However, he eventually changed his mind, and here is how Myers described the situation:
Later on, he asked, “Mike, have you ever considered working on an animated film?” To which I responded, “Why, certainly.” He then shared that there was a movie called Shrek. I replied, “That’s got to be the most unappealing title I’ve ever come across.” It’s the sound you make after having one too many Molson Canadians. “Ugh! Shreck!” So he suggested, “Just take a look at it.” Upon viewing it, I found that it cleverly flipped fairy tales upside down, which I thought was quite intelligent.
It’s fortunate that Myers altered his initial opinion regarding the title, as he has since lent his voice to Shrek in four movies. Collectively, these films, along with the two spin-offs featuring Puss in Boots, have earned over $4 billion worldwide. After a decade-long hiatus, we’ll soon hear Myers reprise his role as the towering green ogre, with the announcement of Shrek 5 earlier this year also confirming the returns of Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy as Fiona and Donkey, respectively. However, it’s not surprising that Myers was taken aback when he first learned about Shrek, given the lack of context for the story at the time.
The fifth installment of “Shrek,” titled “Shrek 5,” is set to release on July 1, 2026. At present, the first three movies can be streamed with a basic Peacock subscription; however, you’ll require a premium Peacock (Max) subscription to access “Shrek Forever After.” If, by some stroke of luck, you find yourself wanting to watch “Saving Private Ryan” as well, ensure that you have a Paramount+ subscription.
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2024-12-05 06:37