How many Shrek movies are there (and where to watch)

Nobody could have guessed that a 1990 picture book from William Steig would one day transform into one of the most successful animated franchises in history. Yet, the 2001 parody film captured the hearts of audiences around the world. It currently is the 18th highest-grossing film franchise in history, a massive feat for what was originally intended as a punishment for animators kicked off more traditionally artistic films.

From that first film came an empire, with the most recent Shrek film coming out in 2022. For those looking to relive their childhood and see if it holds up to the hype, here is a breakdown of how many entries are in the franchise and where to watch each film in 2024.

How many movies are in the Shrek universe?

The Shrek universe is far larger than most people would expect. There are four core movies, along with two movies in the Puss in Boots spin-off series. However, you might be surprised to know that there's actually a lot more to see if you're looking to explore all the universe has to offer. There is a Broadway musical version of the first film, which has a proshot available for fans to enjoy.

On TV, fans can enjoy the one-off specials Shrek the Halls and Scared Shrekless, for Christmas and Halloween respectively. There was also an animated series following Puss in Boots from 2015 to 2018.

Where can you watch each Shrek film?

It can be hard to put together a Shrek marathon, because the various entries are spread across different streaming services, with some not available anywhere. Peacock made a deal with Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (which controls Dreamworks) in 2021, which suggests that the eventual plan is for all six films to end up on the same platform.

However, many of the films had pre-existing arrangements with other streaming services, which have to be fulfilled before they can move to Peacock. As of April 2024, the Shrek movies can be found on the following streaming services:

• Shrek (2001): Peacock Premium
• Shrek 2 (2004): Peacock Premium
• Shrek Forever After (2010): Prime Video
• Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022): Netflix (until May 9)

At this time, Shrek the Third and Puss in Boots are not on any streaming services. To watch these two movies, you'll need to rent or purchase them on VOD.

Can you watch the Shrek musical at home?

Thanks to the overwhelmingly positive response to the Broadway musical and its many tours, a professional recording of the stage show was released in 2013. The musical includes most of the original Broadway cast, including Brian d'Arcy James as Shrek, Sutton Foster as Fiona, and Daniel Breaker as Donkey.

Currently, Shrek the Musical is not available to stream on any service. However, you can rent or purchase it from most digital retailers.

Are the Shrek TV options available on streaming?

Unfortunately, the Shrek the Halls and Scared Shrekless specials are not available on any streaming service year-round. However, they are often brought out around the holiday season, as they are fan favorite Halloween and Christmas specials.

The Adventure of Puss in Boots is available to stream. While the show was original produced by Netflix, they removed it from their library at the end of 2023. Instead, all six seasons can be found on Peacock Premium.