14. Shrek (2001-2011)
DreamWorks PicturesThe highest-grossing animated franchise in history with over $3.5bn in box office takings, there has been little word on a new Shrek movie since the fourth installment hit theaters in 2010. Which is probably for the best in all honesty, as after a promising start the franchise began to suffer from the law of diminishing returns, despite spin-off Puss in Boots marking a minor return to form. Shrek remains one of the best animated features of the 21st Century, both acknowledging and subverting fairy tale cliches and incorporating parodies and pop-culture references into a postmodern spin on a classic genre. The sequel stuck to the template established in the original, with the irreverent humour and clever sight gags overcoming the shortcomings in the plot and character department. From here there was nowhere to go but down, and Shrek the Third sees the franchise starting to run out of ideas, resulting in a massive letdown compared to the previous two movies. Shrek Forever After is essentially the franchise aping It's A Wonderful Life, but the change in narrative structure does provide some freshness to what was a humorously fitting send-off for the character. 2011's Puss in Boots gave Antonio Banderas' scene-stealing feline a solo flick that delivers a spin-off as witty, charming and charismatic as the titular hero. Given the reliance of the studios on established franchises, it remains to be seen how much longer the Shrek brand will continue to lay dormant given the massive earning potential.