10 Legendary Films You Never Realised Were Based On Books
3. Shrek - Based on Shrek by William Steig
He’s the internet’s favourite ogre.
When you think of Shrek these days, you’ll likely think of the mountain of oddball memes that have defined him in the popular culture of younger generations online. So, it’s always good to remember that the movie he came from is still very good.
Written as a direct parody of classic Disney princess movies, Shrek is a genuinely heart-warming tale that managed to be both funny and thought-provoking. There’s a reason that it won the first ever Best Animated Oscar award. And there’s a reason that it was nominated for Best ADAPTED Screenplay.
Yes, Shrek was originally a children’s book following a repulsive ogre who is sent on a quest to save a princess from a high tower, all the while aided by a talking donkey.
While the book’s plot is broadly the same as the film, the DreamWorks adaption expands on several elements and excises others. The film Shrek lacks his book counterpart’s fire-breathing abilities, for example, and also faces off against a new enemy in his travels, Lord Farquaad, who is second only to Shrek in how much online attention he gets.
Still, both versions retain the core message of being true to yourself even in times of hardship, a message that we definitely all need to hear right now.