Shrek, 'Shrek'

Shrek the Ogre in 'Shrek'

The future looks green for DreamWorks Animation.

The studio has selected a May 21, 2010 release date for the fourth "Shrek" film in the ogre franchise, report the trade papers.

The popular CG-animated films are based on the children's book "Shrek!" by "Sylvester and the Magic Pebble" author William Steig. The previous three films have centered on the good-hearted ogre Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers) and his princess-love Fiona (Cameron Diaz) who gets turned into an ogre and his pal Donkey (Eddie Murphya). Along the way, they befriend a bunch of wise-cracking, colorful nursery rhyme, fairy tale and legendary characters such as Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas), Prince Charming (Rupert Everett), Doris the Ugly Stepsister (Larry King) and he Gingerbread Man (Conrad Vernon).

"Shrek the Third" grossed more than $717 million worldwide. When last we left Shrek, he and a Fiona had successfully assured the succession of Far, Far, Away by finding the deceased king's distantly related nephew Arthur and putting him on the throne. The ogre couple were then free to begin raising their ogre babies, triplets. It's to be assumed that the fourth film will pick up with these tots.

The working title for the fourth film is "The Next Shrek."