Shrek Hits Netflix’s Global Top Five 25 Years Later

Shrek has found a new audience on Netflix, 25 years after its theatrical debut. The animated fantasy comedy entered the platform’s global top five most-watched films in September 2026, giving the DreamWorks classic another major moment in the spotlight.

John Lithgow is part of the film’s appeal, voicing Lord Farquaad, the cowardly and thoroughly unpleasant ruler whose distinctive haircut remains one of the film’s most memorable visual jokes. Lithgow’s broad range has taken him across many genres, including animated cinema.

Why Shrek still works for different generations

Released in 2001, Shrek combines familiar fairy-tale ingredients with a sharper comic edge. Princesses, dragons, fairies, ogres and a talking donkey provide the colourful fantasy framework, while pop-culture references, double meanings and jokes aimed at adults give the film broader appeal.

The voice cast is central to that balance. Mike Myers plays Shrek using the Scottish accent he had previously used for Fat Bastard in Austin Powers. Cameron Diaz voices Fiona, Eddie Murphy brings his energetic comic timing to Donkey, and Lithgow gives Lord Farquaad an entertainingly nasty presence.

Shrek reaches Netflix’s global top five

Netflix’s Top 10 figures place Shrek fifth among the service’s most-watched films at the beginning of September 2026. It remained inside the global top 10 during the following week.

The result follows a busy anniversary year for the film. Shrek celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2026, returned to cinemas and is available to stream on Netflix alongside the other films in the franchise. Its continued presence in memes and online culture has helped keep the original film familiar to viewers who first saw it in cinemas as well as newer audiences discovering it at home.

With October expected to bring a stronger focus on horror titles, the current chart position suggests that Netflix viewers are still making room for an accessible animated comedy. For anyone who missed the anniversary cinema return, streaming provides another opportunity to revisit the film.

What comes next for the franchise?

Shrek 5 is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on 30 June 2027. Until then, the original remains the clearest reminder of how effectively DreamWorks combined fantasy adventure, irreverent humour and a carefully chosen cast.

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