Shrek is getting 'resurrected' as DreamWorks Animation gears up a reboot

The Mike Myers-starring box office behemoth is on the cusp of a return

With stiff competition from Kung Fu Panda, DreamWorks Animation's most successful franchise remains offbeat fairytale series Shrek which placed Mike Myers' titular ogre front and centre.

While the first two films were critically adored - the first one especially considered to be on a par with Pixar's most notable output - Shrek the Third and fourth instalment Shrek Forever After milked the series dry despite doing stellar business at the box office.

Perhaps it's the latter point that leaves Shrek a prime reboot target with Deadline reporting NBCUniversal now has plans to "resurrect" the franchise.

This news follows the company's $3.8 billion (£2.68 billion) purchase of DreamWorks Animation earlier on this year, the deal of which will see the studio's annual release slate doubled from two to four films.

Animation film production company Illumination Entertainment will have creative control of which way to steer the reboot with Chris Meledandri assigned to "...figure out how to resurrect Shrek and take a lot of the existing DreamWorks franchises and add value as [NBCUniversal] creates new franchises.”

The Shrek series - which inspired a popular musical - also featured the voice cast of Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy and Antonio Banderas whose character Puss in Boots enjoyed his own solo adventure in 2011. It seems there's still hope for that gingerbread man spin-off we've all been waiting for.

Jay Roach, the director of other loved Myers franchise Austin Powers, recently revealed that he and the actor are still throwing ideas around for a potential fourth outing.