Shrek fans horrified as dark joke hidden in background of scenes goes viral on TikTok

‘I think that thought will live rent free with me forever,’ wrote one fan

Shrek was a rare film in animation terms: a crossover hit that appealed to adults almost as much as children.

However, it wasn’t just the pop-culture references and coded sex jokes that made the film appealing to adults – it also hid some darker plot details in its background.

One of the background jokes, involving the three bears (from “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”), has recently gone viral on social media.

In one scene near the start of Shrek, all three bears are seen in cages, having been caught by Lord Farquaad’s soldiers.

In a subsequent scene, the “daddy bear” and “baby bear” are seen outside Shrek’s house, looking sad.

Much later, towards the end of the movie, Lord Farquaad’s living quarters are shown. On the floor of his room can be seen a rug that bears a clear resemblance to “mamma bear”.

Though it had in fact been known to Shrek devotees for years, many people were unaware of the macabre running joke until the clips recently went viral on social media.

“WHY AM I STILL CRYING ABOUT THE MOMMA BEAR FROM SHREK,” wrote one Twitter user.

“I was today years old when I discovered that the Goldilocks “mumma bear” from Shrek actually dies and I think that thought will live rent free with me forever,” wrote someone else.

“Don’t text. Crying about shrek momma bear,” wrote another person.

Shrek can be watched now on Netflix in the UK and Ireland.