See Familiar Faces In DreamWorks Updated Curtain Raiser
The new DreamWorks current raiser brings in characters from Bad Guys, Kung Fu Panda, and Boss Baby.
If you plan on seeing a DreamWorks movie in the future, you’ll also be treated to a new curtain raiser before the show starts. The updated curtain raiser, with the newly dubbed Moon Child, shows the child passing by a number of fan-favorite characters from IPs like The Bad Guys, How to Train Your Dragon, Trolls, Boss Baby, Kung Fu Panda, and Shrek. The opener took eight months for the studio to complete and a team of 10 to 12 people to put together (via The Hollywood Reporter).
The DreamWorks curtain raiser is also subject to change, with the same general opening but the characters and biomes swapped out on a regular basis. The one character that will likely remain consistent in the curtain raiser is Shrek, who is essentially the flagship character of the animation studio at this point. The opener also features a new rendition of the familiar fairytale musical theme, with composition by Harry Gregson-Williams who co-wrote the original song with John Powell for the first Shrek film.
If you’re excited to see and hear this curtain raiser for the first time on the big screen, you’ll be able to check it out when it debuts ahead of the upcoming Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish will feature another solo adventure with the fan-favorite Shrek character Puss in Boots, as he seeks the Last Wish to restore his nine lives. The Paul Fisher-directed film will bring back Antonio Banderas as the titular character and Salma Hayek as Kitty Softpaws, along with new cast members Olivia Colman, Harvey Guillén, Samson Kayo, Wagner Moura, Anthony Mendez, John Mulaney, Florence Pugh, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Ray Winstone.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish will be the second film released by DreamWorks this year, with their previous effort The Bad Guys released in April. The Bad Guys followed a group of criminals trying to reform to become model citizens and featured the voice talents of Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Richard Ayoade, Zazie Beetz, Alex Borstein, and Lilly Singh. The film managed to bring in over $250 million worldwide, making it the second highest-grossing animated film of the year.
DreamWorks will look to continue that hot streak with Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, which will hit theaters on December 21. As for future projects, it looks like they’ll be returning to some of their most successful franchises, as their release slate has Trolls 3 scheduled for 2023 and Kung Fu Panda 4 scheduled for 2024. These two releases join the myriad of ongoing animated TV projects the studio is pumping out, including Gabby’s Dollhouse, Go, Dog. Go!, The Croods: Family Tree, DreamWorks Dragons: The Nine Realms, Team Zenko Go, Pinecone & Pony, The Boss Baby: Back in the Crib, Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight, and Abominable and the Invisible City.
Not much is known about Trolls 3 or Kung Fu Panda 4 other than the release dates. Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick will be returning for the former and Jack Black will be back for the latter, but otherwise, the plots are being kept under wraps. Until then, make sure to check out the new DreamWorks opener online and in theaters when Puss in Boots: The Last Wish releases in December.
