Shrek Movie News

Shrek Movie News
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VH1 to Air Cast Party: Shrek on Monday
(May 11 - by digitalmediafx.com) In this installment of Cast Party, VH1 prepares itself for a half-hour of comedy and music with the voices of Shrek. The 30 minute show will air on Monday, May 14, at 7PM. Cameron Diaz, Mike Myers, John Lithgow and Eddie Murphy talk about their unique approach to creating animated characters and dive deep into a conversation on the music used in the film. The show features discussions of Smash Mouth, the Baha Men, and an exclusive look at the film's fight scene featuring Joan Jett's "Bad Reputation."

DreamWorks Begins "Snack on Us" Shrek Promotion
(May 11 - by digitalmediafx.com) DreamWorks has started a new "Snack on Us" promotion that gives people who buy select DreamWorks movies $5 towards movie snacks when they see Shrek. Specially marked movies from DreamWorks (like Chicken Run, The Road to El Dorado, Joseph: King of Dreams) contain a coupon for the free snacks. The offer is good from May 18 through July 13, 2001.

Gun Safety Ad to Be Seen Before Shrek
(May 10 - by digitalmediafx.com) A 30 second ad spot featuring Republican John McCain delivering a gun safety message will air before DreamWorks' Shrek in 43 states on over 2,500 screens. The goal of the message is to urge parents to keep guns locked up and to urge children to report other kids who talk about using guns. The ad is sponsored by Americans for Gun Safety, which paid for the spot to be aired before Shrek and before Pearl Harbor in select states.

Shrek Shown to Lawyers to Avoid Disney Legal Battle
(May 10 - by digitalmediafx.com) DreamWorks admits that the company's team of lawyers were shown work in progress scenes of Shrek in order to avoid a potential legal fight with Disney, which is the target of many jabs in DreamWorks animated movie.

"We showed each and every scene to lawyers as we went along," co-director Andrew Adamson told The New York Post. "We certainly did not want to be sued by Disney."

Shrek has some legal leeway because the film is considered a "parody". Parody is defined as "A literary composition imitating the characteristic style of some other work or writer, but treating a serious subject in a nonsensical manner in an attempt at humor or ridicule."

According to Adamson, DreamWorks' lawyers approved every scene in the movie - including a spoof of Disneyland and "It's a Small World" song - without any changes.

Cannes Opens - Shrek to be Shown Saturday
(May 9 - by digitalmediafx.com) The prestigious 2001 Festival de Cannes is officially underway as of today and will continue through Sunday, May 20. Shrek will be shown twice during the festival's elite competition. The first showing is this Saturday at 2PM then again at 7:30PM.

The annual festival represents "works of quality in order to contribute to the progress of the motion picture arts and to encourage the development of the film industry throughout the world." Films must receive an invitation in order to be shown at the festival. Shrek is the first animated film since Walt Disney's 1953 Peter Pan to receive an invitation to be shown at Cannes.

Critics refer to Cannes as "the world's most famous film festival." The first festival premiered in Venice in 1932. It wasn't until the late 1950's and 1960's that Cannes began to shine, attracting the world's most famous and sought after filmmakers. The festival is only open to film professionals and press.

The most elite films of the festival are referred to as "in competition" meaning that they are competing for a series of prestigious titles. Shrek has been selected as an "in competition" film. The highest honor given out at Cannes is the "Palme d'Or" (or Golden Palm award), which is equal to Best Picture.

Shrek to Open Two Days Early in NY and LA
(May 9 - by digitalmediafx.com) DreamWorks announced yesterday that Shrek will open two days early in Los Angeles and New York. DreamWorks claims the move was made due to "strong advance reviews and positive word of mouth." The irreverent computer animated comedy will have exclusive runs at the AMC Century 14 in Los Angeles and the Loews Lincoln Square in New York, before opening nationwide on May 18.

The move is not an unusual one within the industry. Disney will be opening its Atlantis movie a week early in Los Angeles and New York.

DreamWorks describes the Shrek story as follows:

"Shrek is the story of an ornery ogre whose precious solitude is suddenly shattered by an invasion of annoying fairy-tale characters, all banished from their kingdom by the evil Lord Farquaad. Determined to save their home -- not to mention his own -- Shrek cuts a deal with Farquaad and sets out to rescue the beautiful Princess Fiona to be Farquaad's bride. Accompanying him on his mission is a wisecracking Donkey who will do anything for Shrek ... except shut up."

Burger King Shrek Promotion Begins Today
(May 7 - by digitalmediafx.com) Burger King is beginning its Shrek promotions today, giving out a selection of nine exclusive Candy Caddies based on Shrek characters, in Big Kids Meal and Kids Meal orders. Each Candy Caddies will contain SMARTIES candy. In addition, Burger King will be giving out a selection of 23 humorous "Fairy Tale Freaks" trading cards, featuring fairy tale misfits inspired by the movie.

"Shrek is a clever comedy that will especially appeal to our Big Kids target market as it celebrates two themes that are synonymous with our Big Kids brand essence: individuality and irreverence. We can fully integrate our promotional, food and brand marketing messages with this movie tie-in," said Richard Taylor, vice president of marketing for Burger King Corporation.

The Burger King Shrek promotion will be supported with in-restaurant merchandising, web-based marketing and national kid-directed television advertising that started yesterday.

Free Shrek Ice Cream Event a Huge Success
(May 3 - by digitalmediafx.com) Huge lines formed outside of Baskin-Robbins ice cream shops last night as people took advantage of a hard to pass up offer - a free scoop of ice cream. For every scoop served during last night's Free Scoop Night, Baskin-Robbins made a donation to the charity First Book. Jeffrey Katzenberg, DreamWorks Principal and film producer, on behalf of DreamWorks, is matching last night's Baskin-Robbins' Free Scoop Night donation to First Book. First Book is a national non-profit organization that provides free, new books to children from low-income families.

"We are very pleased that Baskin-Robbins and DreamWorks have made this terrific corporate commitment to literacy," said First Book President, Kyle Zimmer. "With this level of dedication, thousands of children across the country will be able to discover a passion for reading and learning that will last a lifetime."

The event was also used to promote DreamWorks new animated movie, Shrek, which hits theaters nationally on May 18, 2001.

"Partnering with DreamWorks to help celebrate their release of Shrek has been a great opportunity to combine the fun of ice cream through our new Shrek flavors with an exciting new theatrical event," said Joe Adney, director of marketing for Baskin-Robbins.

Baskin-Robbins estimated that over 3 million free scoops would be delivered. Long lines going out stores and down sidewalks (sometimes into parking lots) appear to support that estimate.

Radio Disney - "No Shrek Ads!"
(May 1 - by digitalmediafx.com) According to Inside Magazine, Radio Disney affiliates have been told not to accept any ads for DreamWorks new animated film, Shrek. According to Inside, a newsletter sent to all affiliates stated the following:

"'Due to recent initiatives with the Walt Disney Company, we are being asked not to align ourselves promotionally with this new release [Shrek]. Stations may accept spot dollars only in individual markets. Please call your affiliate relations manager, should you have any questions."

Click here to access Shrek News from April 2001:
Shrek Characters in Reading Ads
Media: Shrek to Score Big
DreamWorks Bypasses Release of Shrek Background Score
Shrek Video Game to Launch with X-Box
Shrek Wins Showing at Cannes!