Puss in Boots, or simply Puss, is a
fiction
Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying individuals, events, or places that are imaginary, or in ways that are imaginary. Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent with history, fact, or plausibility. In a traditi ...
al
recurring
Recurring means occurring repeatedly and can refer to several different things:
Mathematics and finance
*Recurring expense, an ongoing (continual) expenditure
*Repeating decimal, or recurring decimal, a real number in the decimal numeral syste ...
character
Character or Characters may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''Character'' (novel), a 1936 Dutch novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk
* ''Characters'' (Theophrastus), a classical Greek set of character sketches attributed to The ...
in the
''Shrek'' franchise. He made his first appearance in the film ''
Shrek 2
''Shrek 2'' is a 2004 American computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the 1990 picture book ''Shrek!'' by William Steig, produced by DreamWorks Animation and released by DreamWorks Pictures. The sequel to ''Shrek'' (2001) and the seco ...
'' (2004), soon becoming
Shrek
''Shrek'' is a 2001 American computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the 1990 book of the same name by William Steig. It is the first installment in the ''Shrek'' franchise. The film was directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenso ...
's partner and helper (alongside
Donkey
The domestic donkey is a hoofed mammal in the family Equidae, the same family as the horse. It derives from the African wild ass, ''Equus africanus'', and may be classified either as a subspecies thereof, ''Equus africanus asinus'', or as a ...
). In the film ''
Shrek the Third
''Shrek the Third'' (also known as ''Shrek 3'') is a 2007 American computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the 1990 picture book '' Shrek!'' by William Steig, produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The se ...
'' (2007), Puss helps Shrek find the heir to the throne of the Far Far Away Kingdom. The film ''
Shrek Forever After
''Shrek Forever After'' is a 2010 American computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the 1990 picture book ''Shrek!'' by William Steig, produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The sequel to ''Shrek the Thi ...
'' (2010) is primarily set in an
alternate universe, where Puss is
Princess Fiona
Fiona is a fictional character in DreamWorks' ''Shrek'' franchise, first appearing in the animated film ''Shrek'' (2001). One of the film series' main characters, Fiona is introduced as a beautiful princess placed under a curse that transforms ...
's
pet
A pet, or companion animal, is an animal kept primarily for a person's company or entertainment rather than as a working animal, livestock, or a laboratory animal. Popular pets are often considered to have attractive appearances, intelligence, ...
and has gained weight after his retirement. He is portrayed as the
title character
The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piece. The title of ...
and protagonist in the 2011
spin-off film ''
Puss in Boots
"Puss in Boots" ( it, Il gatto con gli stivali) is an Italian fairy tale, later spread throughout the rest of Europe, about an anthropomorphic cat who uses trickery and deceit to gain power, wealth, and the hand of a princess in marriage for hi ...
'' (in which his origins are described) and its 2022 sequel ''
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish'' (set sometime after ''Shrek Forever After''). Puss also appears in the
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
television series centered on him, ''
The Adventures of Puss in Boots
''The Adventures of Puss in Boots'' is an American computer-animated streaming television series. It stars the character Puss in Boots from DreamWorks Animation's ''Shrek'' franchise and its 2011 spin-off film, voiced by Eric Bauza. The series ...
'' (2015–2018).
Puss was inspired by the title
character
Character or Characters may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''Character'' (novel), a 1936 Dutch novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk
* ''Characters'' (Theophrastus), a classical Greek set of character sketches attributed to The ...
of the
fairy tale
A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the folklore genre. Such stories typically feature magic (paranormal), magic, incantation, enchantments, and mythical ...
"
Puss in Boots
"Puss in Boots" ( it, Il gatto con gli stivali) is an Italian fairy tale, later spread throughout the rest of Europe, about an anthropomorphic cat who uses trickery and deceit to gain power, wealth, and the hand of a princess in marriage for hi ...
". His design, created by Tom Hester, was based on real
cats
The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of t ...
. Several characters were used as inspirations for Puss's characterization, such as
Zorro
Zorro (Spanish language, Spanish for 'fox') is a fictional character created in 1919 by American pulp magazine, pulp writer Johnston McCulley, appearing in works set in the Pueblo of Los Angeles in Alta California. He is typically portrayed a ...
and
Indiana Jones
''Indiana Jones'' is an American media franchise based on the adventures of Dr. Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr., a fictional professor of archaeology, that began in 1981 with the film '' Raiders of the Lost Ark''. In 1984, a prequel, '' Th ...
(specifically Banderas' portrayal of the former character from
Martin Campbell
Martin Campbell (born 24 October 1943) is a New Zealand film and television director based in the United Kingdom. He is known for having directed ''The Mask of Zorro'' as well as the James Bond in film, James Bond films ''GoldenEye'' and ''Cas ...
's ''
The Mask and Legend of Zorro
''The Legend of Zorro'' is a 2005 American Western (genre), Western swashbuckler film directed by Martin Campbell, produced by Walter F. Parkes, Laurie MacDonald and Lloyd Phillips, with music by James Horner, and written by Roberto Orci and A ...
''.) The idea of Puss as the protagonist of a film was explored after his debut appearance.
Antonio Banderas
José Antonio Domínguez Bandera (born 10 August 1960), known professionally as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish actor and singer. Known for his work in films of several genres, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Antonio Ba ...
voices Puss in the English, Spanish, and Italian
dubs of the ''Shrek'' franchise. While he initially tried a high-pitched voice for the character, he and the ''Shrek 2'' filmmakers decided on a tone that was deeper than his normal voice. Banderas said that voicing Puss was an important part of his career.
Eric Bauza
Eric Bauza (born December 7, 1979) is a Canadian-American voice actor and comedian. His most-known roles include Stimpy on '' Ren and Stimpy "Adult Party Cartoon"'', Foop on ''The Fairly OddParents'' and its reboot ''Fairly Odder'', Thunderbolt Ro ...
provides Puss's voice in ''The Adventures of Puss in Boots''.
The character has received generally positive reviews, with critics praising his depiction and considering him a source of
comic relief
Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.
Definition
Comic relief usually means a releasing of emotional or other tension resulting from a comic episo ...
. Reviewers have regarded Puss as a popular ''Shrek'' character. Banderas's
voice acting
Voice acting is the art of performing voice-overs to present a character or provide information to an audience. Performers are called voice actors/actresses, voice artists, dubbing artists, voice talent, voice-over artists, or voice-over talent ...
has also been praised. Merchandise inspired by the character has been produced.
Development
Concept and creation
Puss in Boots is inspired by the
titular character
The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piece. The title of ...
of the
fairy tale
A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the folklore genre. Such stories typically feature magic (paranormal), magic, incantation, enchantments, and mythical ...
with the same name.
Character designer Tom Hester provided Puss's design, which was based on
cat
The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of ...
s owned by ''
Shrek
''Shrek'' is a 2001 American computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the 1990 book of the same name by William Steig. It is the first installment in the ''Shrek'' franchise. The film was directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenso ...
''
director
Director may refer to:
Literature
* ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine
* ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker
* ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty
Music
* Director (band), an Irish rock band
* ''D ...
Andrew Adamson
Andrew Ralph Adamson (born 1 December 1966) is a New Zealand film director, producer, and screenwriter based in Los Angeles, where he directed the Academy Award-winning animated films ''Shrek'' and ''Shrek 2''. He was director, executive prod ...
and effects supervisor Ken Bielenberg. After
Antonio Banderas
José Antonio Domínguez Bandera (born 10 August 1960), known professionally as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish actor and singer. Known for his work in films of several genres, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Antonio Ba ...
had been cast as Puss's voice, the ''Shrek'' animators analyzed his performance as the title character in ''
The Mask of Zorro
''The Mask of Zorro'' is a 1998 American swashbuckler film based on the character of the masked vigilante Zorro created by Johnston McCulley. It was directed by Martin Campbell and stars Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jone ...
'' (1998) for insight into Puss's depiction.
Inspired by Banderas's
Zorro
Zorro (Spanish language, Spanish for 'fox') is a fictional character created in 1919 by American pulp magazine, pulp writer Johnston McCulley, appearing in works set in the Pueblo of Los Angeles in Alta California. He is typically portrayed a ...
, the
filmmakers
Filmmaking (film production) is the process by which a Film, motion picture is #Production, produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, starting with an initial story, idea, or commission. It then continues through scr ...
decided to make Puss's origins Spanish (instead of the
fairy tale
A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the folklore genre. Such stories typically feature magic (paranormal), magic, incantation, enchantments, and mythical ...
's Italian). When
computer-animating Puss, new animation tools were required for his fur, belt, and the plume on his hat.
Chris Miller, head of story of the film ''
Shrek 2
''Shrek 2'' is a 2004 American computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the 1990 picture book ''Shrek!'' by William Steig, produced by DreamWorks Animation and released by DreamWorks Pictures. The sequel to ''Shrek'' (2001) and the seco ...
'' (2004), said that he enjoyed the character of Puss as much as viewers seemed to; he and everyone else involved in ''Shrek 2'' wanted to add more scenes related to Puss to the film. Miller described Puss as "a really cool, dynamic
sidekick
A sidekick is a slang expression for a close companion or colleague (not necessarily in fiction) who is, or is generally regarded as, subordinate to the one they accompany.
Some well-known fictional sidekicks are Don Quixote's Sancho Panza, ...
character at that time", saying that the filmmakers had decided to link the character to a "weird history" in which he had been "everywhere" and done "everything".
He and the other filmmakers wondered what the story of Puss would look like and why he had his accent. According to Miller, writing and developing Puss had been "so much fun", and the character had a "huge impact" in ''Shrek 2'' by stealing so many scenes.
[ Miller said that he had "always loved" the character and had been "fascinated by where Puss had been before".] Puss repeatedly mentions "some great adventure" (without details) in the ''Shrek'' films, and Miller wanted to know more about his origins (such as where his boots came from).[ Miller called Puss his favorite ''Shrek'' character,] who had "always stood out",[ and could not imagine anyone other than Banderas voicing him;] soon after the character had been created, Banderas was offered the role. Miller commented that the actor's performance was "pretty brilliant".[
After realizing at the 2004 ]Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
how much viewers enjoyed Puss's character, Jeffrey Katzenberg
Jeffrey Katzenberg (; born December 21, 1950) is an American filmmaker, animator, and media proprietor. He became well known for his tenure as chairman of Walt Disney Studios from 1984 to 1994. After departing Disney, he was a co-founder and CE ...
, co-founder of DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation LLC (DWA, also known as DreamWorks Animation Studios and simply known as DreamWorks) is an American animation studio that produces animated films and television programs and is a subsidiary of Universal Pictures, a division ...
, began considering "the idea of possibly continuing with the character in the ''Shrek'' series" and creating a film with Puss as the protagonist
A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...
. Katzenberg called Puss a "scene stealer
A breakout character is a character in serial fiction, especially a member of an ensemble cast, who becomes much more prominent, popular, discussed, or imitated than expected by the creators. A breakout character may equal or overtake the oth ...
" and said he "seemed to beg for his own film" after his first appearance in the ''Shrek'' franchise. Miller, who also directed the film ''Puss in Boots
"Puss in Boots" ( it, Il gatto con gli stivali) is an Italian fairy tale, later spread throughout the rest of Europe, about an anthropomorphic cat who uses trickery and deceit to gain power, wealth, and the hand of a princess in marriage for hi ...
'' (2011),[ knew that Puss was suitable for a ]standalone film
A standalone film is a film that does not have any relation with other films. In the late 1990s, it was typical to create standalone films with no plans for sequels. The term "standalone film" appeared when sequels, spin-offs, and franchises bec ...
,[ and he was pleased when Banderas quickly accepted the role.] Miller was happy with DreamWorks's decision to create a film about Puss and excited to contribute to its production.[ He said the idea of Puss having his own film had been considered since the character had joined the ''Shrek'' franchise, attributing this to "the size and scope of that character" and "the personality that Antonio infused that character with".] Although the filmmakers initially wanted to bring cats to the DreamWorks studios to study them for the development of Puss, the DreamWorks staff suggested watching YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
cat videos instead. According to Miller, YouTube was the filmmakers' "great resource" of inspiration to which they added their "personal experience".[ He said that cats, "as seriously as they take themselves", "can never resist their true nature", and he cited Puss's "hissing" as an example.][
The ''Puss in Boots'' filmmakers knew from the beginning that something about the character "demanded ]he story
He or HE may refer to:
Language
* He (pronoun), an English pronoun
* He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ
* He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets
* He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
just be larger than life".[ While the story had initially been conceptualized as "loosely based" on the classic fairy tale, involving "Puss and three sons of the ]miller
A miller is a person who operates a Gristmill, mill, a machine to grind a grain (for example corn or wheat) to make flour. Mill (grinding), Milling is among the oldest of human occupations. "Miller", "Milne" and other variants are common surname ...
", the filmmakers decided to create "a new story told on a grander scale", "something that would be more worthy of" Puss. "Spaghetti Western
The Spaghetti Western is a broad subgenre of Western films produced in Europe. It emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's film-making style and international box-office success. The term was used by foreign critics because most o ...
style and structure" also inspired Puss's character,[ and the filmmakers decided to use "big screen legends" as inspiration.][ Miller cited ]Clint Eastwood
Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western TV series '' Rawhide'', he rose to international fame with his role as the "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "''Doll ...
as one of the "classic cinematic figures" inspiring Puss's portrayal and regarded him as "a strong force" since there was "something about Clint that was in the cat".[ He also cited ]Indiana Jones
''Indiana Jones'' is an American media franchise based on the adventures of Dr. Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr., a fictional professor of archaeology, that began in 1981 with the film '' Raiders of the Lost Ark''. In 1984, a prequel, '' Th ...
's "adventurous spirit", James Bond
The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...
and Errol Flynn
Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian-American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, frequent partnerships with Olivia ...
.[ Miller also cited Zorro as an inspiration for Puss since Banderas (who played Zorro) voiced him,][ and he said that "Antonio's persona adreally dictated so many of the choices that ]ad been
Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to put a product or service in the spotlight in hopes of drawing it attention from consumers. It is typically used to promote a ...
made" about Puss's character in ''Puss in Boots''.[ According to Miller, it is "very difficult to tell the difference" between Puss and Banderas.]
The filmmakers decided to give Puss "a heavy story" in ''Puss in Boots'';[ they felt that breaking his heart would be "really important", and they wanted to offer him "something to redeem himself from and clear his name".][ They debated whether Puss would be portrayed as a misunderstood fugitive. Miller said that although Puss could have been depicted as deceptive, the filmmakers had decided to portray him as blameworthy; robbing the bank was not Puss's plan and he ran away "out of fear", but he had to take responsibility for his actions.][ Miller stated that Puss's "desire to believe the best in someone else" and to "hang on to a friendship" represent "the kind of things that get him in trouble". Puss's backstory was meant to indicate the "heaviness on his mind and in his heart", and why he was on the run despite his "cool life".][ Miller said that Puss was a "pretty wide open" character when it came to his portrayal in the film;][ Puss adds a dramatic note to everything, which the filmmakers used "to attach a very tragic story to his life".][ Miller stated that "the heavy dramatic themes" fit Puss's character well, making the character's journey a "story of redemption" in which "he sort of walks a dark path with a hole punched in his heart" and wishes "to clear away the sins of his past" and "reclaim what was his".][ Miller said that Puss in his cape affirmed "an urban legend";][ although he wore it in marketing material, he rarely did so in the films. According to Miller, Puss's cape was "so expensive to keep strapped to that cat" and "so cumbersome" that the ''Puss in Boots'' filmmakers decided to have the character wear it for a short time, as in ''Shrek 2''.][ Miller felt that Puss's "giant big eyes" would appeal to viewers.][
]Doug Langdale
Douglas Michael Langdale (born August 19, 1969) is an American screenwriter, producer and actor, who mostly works on television cartoons and animated films. He has worked with Disney numerous times, as well as the writing partner of Jorge ...
, executive producer of the television series ''The Adventures of Puss in Boots
''The Adventures of Puss in Boots'' is an American computer-animated streaming television series. It stars the character Puss in Boots from DreamWorks Animation's ''Shrek'' franchise and its 2011 spin-off film, voiced by Eric Bauza. The series ...
'' (2015–2018), said that in the series Puss fights "a lot more" compared to the films; he is depicted "more as a master swordsman with lots of extra punching, kicking and action".[ Langdale stated that he "wanted to set the show earlier in Puss's life, back when he was the only one who thought he was a legend ... had more to prove, and maybe ]as not
As, AS, A. S., A/S or similar may refer to:
Art, entertainment, and media
* A. S. Byatt (born 1936), English critic, novelist, poet and short story writer
* "As" (song), by Stevie Wonder
* , a Spanish sports newspaper
* , an academic male voic ...
quite so awesome at everything yet", which determined that the series would be set before the film ''Puss in Boots''. He said that since Puss is a "hero", the series focuses on his saving people and defeating "bad guys".[ Langdale added that in the series, "unexpected depth and nuance" are brought to the character with comedy;][ Puss was a "]nomad
A nomad is a member of a community without fixed habitation who regularly moves to and from the same areas. Such groups include hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads (owning livestock), tinkers and trader nomads. In the twentieth century, the popu ...
" and a "loner" before the events of the series, which "is an essential segment in Puss's life" that taught him "how to get along with other people" and made him "understand the value of friendships and relationships".[ According to Langdale, "the audience ]ould Ould is an English surname and an Arabic name ( ar, ولد). In some Arabic dialects, particularly Hassaniya Arabic, ولد (the patronymic, meaning "son of") is transliterated as Ould. Most Mauritanians have patronymic surnames.
Notable p ...
willingly follow" Puss's "charm, charisma and appeal".[
]
Voice
Antonio Banderas voiced Puss in the ''Shrek'' franchise.[ Banderas said that his initial motivation to voice Puss was that he enjoyed the film ''Shrek'' (2001).] According to the actor, he was chosen for the role of Puss because of his Spanish accent. According to Banderas, he was on Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
for the musical ''Nine
9 is a number, numeral, and glyph.
9 or nine may also refer to:
Dates
* AD 9, the ninth year of the AD era
* 9 BC, the ninth year before the AD era
* 9, numerical symbol for the month of September
Places
* Nine, Portugal, a parish in the ...
'' when Jeffrey Katzenberg approached him about taking the role. The ''Shrek 2'' filmmakers showed him "a lot of paintings of the character", and he realized how "little" Puss was. Banderas said that he had developed a strategy for playing Puss after accepting the role, which had determined Puss's personality. Although he could have used a high-pitched voice for Puss, which was the filmmakers' original idea,[ he and the others working on the film opted for a tone that was "deeper" and "more breathy" than his normal voice.][ Banderas called the choice "very interesting", adding that it "helped to establish the limits and the parameters of the character in terms of personality".][ He regarded the effect as "almost like a lion trapped in the body of a little cat", which makes Puss "different".][ According to the actor, Puss's voice contrasts with his body; he stated that "the cat is not supposed to talk like that", adding that the difference between Puss's voice and appearance is ]comic relief
Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.
Definition
Comic relief usually means a releasing of emotional or other tension resulting from a comic episo ...
.[ He also commented that the contrast between Puss's appearance and voice makes it seem like he is not even aware of his size.][ Banderas said that after the decision about Puss's voice had been made, the filmmakers had begun depicting the character "in a totally different way".][ He added that Puss had initially been conceptualized as "quite a little character" but had started gaining more importance after the filmmakers had realized his potential.][ Banderas said that he and the filmmakers had "a lot of fun" with Puss's character, and felt that viewers did too.]
Banderas said that the first scene he had recorded was coughing up a hairball
A hairball is a small collection of hair or fur formed in the stomach of animals, and uncommonly in humans, that is occasionally vomited up when it becomes too big. Hairballs are primarily a tight elongated cylinder of packed fur, but may includ ...
, adding that he had spent "45 minutes doing strange sounds";[ although it left him voiceless,][ he saw the moment as "fun".][ When asked about the most difficult part of voicing Puss, Banderas said "the biggest challenge was to understand the animation process".][ The actor said that in addition to providing Puss's English voice, he voiced the character in ]Mexican Spanish
Mexican Spanish ( es, español mexicano) is the variety of Dialect, dialects and Sociolect, sociolects of the Spanish language spoken in Mexican territory. Mexico has the largest number of Spanish speakers, with more than twice as many as in a ...
, Castilian Spanish
In English, Castilian Spanish can mean the variety of Peninsular Spanish spoken in northern and central Spain, the standard form of Spanish, or Spanish from Spain in general. In Spanish, the term (Castilian) can either refer to the Spanish langua ...
, and Italian, calling the Italian dub "the most challenging" since he had to follow "the character's face movement";[ Puss speaks with a lisp in the Spanish dub.][ When he was at the Cannes Film Festival for ''Shrek 2'', Banderas noticed that Puss's character received much public attention.][ About Puss's changed appearance in '']Shrek Forever After
''Shrek Forever After'' is a 2010 American computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the 1990 picture book ''Shrek!'' by William Steig, produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The sequel to ''Shrek the Thi ...
'' (2010), Banderas joked that the character's weight gain did not bother him but the pink ribbon (which Puss wears in the film) did. For ''Puss in Boots'', Banderas advised the filmmakers to depict the relation between Puss and Kitty Softpaws
This is a list of Character (arts), characters that appear in the ''Shrek (franchise), Shrek'' franchise and Spin-off (media), spin-offs from it.
Main characters
Shrek
Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers, Michael Gough (voice actor), Michael Gough ...
(voiced by Salma Hayek
Salma Hayek Pinault ( , ; born Salma Valgarma Hayek Jiménez; September 2, 1966) is a Mexican and American actress and film producer. She began her career in Mexico with starring roles in the telenovela ''Teresa'' (1989–1991) as well as the ...
) as a "love-hate" relationship to generate "a great lot of comedy";[ Hayek stated that Banderas is completely believable as Puss since both are "very self-confident", characterizing him as perfect for this role. Banderas said that he wanted Puss to keep "his mischievousness and edginess" in this film since viewers enjoyed "the edgy side" of the character.][
Asked about similarities between him and Puss, Banderas said that Puss had values which he lacked; the character was "too courageous".][ He said that the filmmakers had wanted to incorporate some of his "personal features" into Puss's character, with characters he had played in other films, such as Zorro and the characters he had portrayed in '']Desperado
Desperado may refer to:
* Outlaw, particularly in the American Old West
Books
* ''Desperadoes'' (comics), a comic book series
* ''Desperadoes'' (novel), a 1979 novel by Ron Hansen
* Desperado Publishing, an American independent comic book publ ...
'' (1995) and ''The 13th Warrior
''The 13th Warrior'' is a 1999 American historical fiction action film based on Michael Crichton's 1976 novel ''Eaters of the Dead'', which is a loose adaptation of the tale of ''Beowulf'' combined with Ahmad ibn Fadlan's historical account of the ...
'' (1999), serving as inspirations.[ Banderas said that he saw "a little bit more" of himself as the films in which Puss appears were released,][ describing Puss as his "alter ego".][ He is proud that his character is Latino since it is "good for diversity and cultural interaction", saying children would see that "heroes actually have a strong accent" in ''Puss in Boots''.][
Banderas said that he loved Puss's character.][ Asked about which one of Puss's characteristics he preferred, the actor cited his mischievousness; according to Banderas, Puss does amazing things in the three ''Shrek'' films in which he appears. Playing Puss meant "a lot" for his career;][ although he had not been able to speak English when he had come to America, the filmmakers wanted his voice for the films.][ Banderas said he had not initially known how difficult voicing a character was, stating that "you have to get into the character" to do it well.][ The ''Shrek'' franchise was important to him, representing "the magnificent part of Hollywood and the search for perfection";][ Banderas viewed being a part of the ''Shrek'' production as "very beautiful".][ He was recognized in public for his role as Puss.][
]Eric Bauza
Eric Bauza (born December 7, 1979) is a Canadian-American voice actor and comedian. His most-known roles include Stimpy on '' Ren and Stimpy "Adult Party Cartoon"'', Foop on ''The Fairly OddParents'' and its reboot ''Fairly Odder'', Thunderbolt Ro ...
voiced Puss in the Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
series ''The Adventures of Puss in Boots''. Bauza said that he had auditioned "fair and square" for Puss's role (despite having worked with executive producer Doug Langdale on another show) and had enjoyed working with the production team. He said he had been asked to do a motion capture
Motion capture (sometimes referred as mo-cap or mocap, for short) is the process of recording the movement of objects or people. It is used in military, entertainment, sports, medical applications, and for validation of computer vision and robo ...
as Puss before the start of the series, adding that "to embody that character, physically, was so tough".[ Bauza called the sounds he needed to provide for Puss "iconic" since he is "such a well-known character".][ According to Bauza, voicing Puss was a "challenge because Puss speaks in such a whisper". Bauza said that he had "watched a lot of Antonio's films", had imagined how he would have performed on certain occasions, and had tried to be as "unpredictable";][ he stated that his voice is similar to Banderas's. Since he voiced the central character in the series, Bauza had "the luck and luxury to be able to record with a majority of the people that are in the show".][ He felt that "having the responsibility of taking over a role such as Puss in Boots is quite the honor".][ Bauza thought that a series centered on Puss was clever, maintaining the audience interested until the release of ''Puss in Boots 2'', and said it would present "some sides to Puss that you ]annot
Annot (; oc, Anòt) is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Annotains'' or ''Annotaines''
The commune has been awa ...
really get out of the feature films or even shorts".[ ]André Sogliuzzo
André Sogliuzzo (born August 10, 1966) is an American voice actor. His voice-work includes several animated series, including ''American Dad!'', '' Avatar: The Last Airbender'', ''Harvey Beaks'', '' Jackie Chan Adventures'' and '' Star Wars: Clon ...
voiced Puss in several ''Shrek'' video games. The meow
A meow or miaow is a cat vocalization. ''Meows'' may have diverse tones and are sometimes chattered, murmured or whispered. Adult cats rarely meow to each other, so an adult cat meowing to human beings is probably a post-domestication extens ...
ing sounds
In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid.
In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the ...
Puss makes in the films were provided by Frank Welker
Franklin Wendell Welker (born March 12, 1946) is an American voice actor. He began his career in the 1960s, and holds over 860 film, television, and video game credits as of 2022, making him one of the most prolific voice actors of all time. With ...
.
Characterization
Miller characterized Puss as "a fiercely loyal and honorable cat".[ He further referred to Puss as "a pint-sized, pocket-sized, fun character".][ Miller also described Puss as "really appealing" and also as "a normally proportioned cat dressed up, but bold, animated, and romantic".][ He viewed Puss as "colorful" as well.][ Miller stated that "Antonio's persona and this explosive, dynamic, huge figure that was really cute" completely fit Puss's portrayal in ''Puss in Boots''.][ He also said Puss is an "amplified version of Antonio coming out of this tiny little fury package" and that this makes him an "instantly funny", "intriguing", and "complex character".][ He added that Puss "is very melodramatic", seeing this as "funny" because of how Puss's character is depicted and believing Banderas was "really good" at portraying this side of the character.][ He further said Puss "is at his funniest when he takes himself too seriously", which always happens since he "sees himself as a very important figure".][ Miller stated that while Puss has a "really big heart", he still is somewhat mischievous.][ Miller characterized Puss as someone who had seen "the light really early in life" and who is "affecting change on everyone around him".] He further described him as "half lover, half fighter" and as "a bit roguish and a bit of a troublemaker".[ Miller also characterized Puss as "unpredictable".]
Langdale said that Puss is a "character anyone can relate to", which makes him "great". He said that "on the surface, Puss is the coolest guy in the world", "great at everything", "saves and protects people", and "seems like he can defeat anyone", despite "this wonderful vulnerability" due to him being "tiny".[ According to Langdale, Puss is "just a regular-sized cat in a people-sized world" with an "elephant-sized" personality.][
Banderas described Puss as "a little bit mysterious", with "a sweetness";][ he added that the character "knows how to make people jealous" and "can be manipulative with just his eyes".][ According to Banderas, viewers could identify with Puss's attempts to obtain something.][ Banderas said that Puss is a "womanizer" who courts "the lady cats",][ and enjoys having a female "in front of him that can fight as hard as him".][ He stated that Puss is "so little", and the actor enjoyed his "contrast in size" with ]Shrek
''Shrek'' is a 2001 American computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the 1990 book of the same name by William Steig. It is the first installment in the ''Shrek'' franchise. The film was directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenso ...
.[
]
Appearances
''Shrek 2''
Puss makes his first appearance as a supporting character
A supporting character is a character in a narrative that is not the focus of the primary storyline, but is important to the plot/protagonist, and appears or is mentioned in the story enough to be more than just a minor character or a cameo ap ...
in the film ''Shrek 2'',[ where he is initially hired by the ]father
A father is the male parent of a child. Besides the paternal bonds of a father to his children, the father may have a parental, legal, and social relationship with the child that carries with it certain rights and obligations. An adoptive fathe ...
of Princess Fiona
Fiona is a fictional character in DreamWorks' ''Shrek'' franchise, first appearing in the animated film ''Shrek'' (2001). One of the film series' main characters, Fiona is introduced as a beautiful princess placed under a curse that transforms ...
(Shrek's wife) to kill Shrek. He meets Shrek and his companion, Donkey
The domestic donkey is a hoofed mammal in the family Equidae, the same family as the horse. It derives from the African wild ass, ''Equus africanus'', and may be classified either as a subspecies thereof, ''Equus africanus asinus'', or as a ...
, and unsuccessfully attacks Shrek. Puss tells Shrek the reason for his attack and begs for mercy. Because Shrek spares his life, Puss offers to join him and becomes his partner. During the course of the film, Puss helps Shrek to obtain a potion that turns Shrek and Fiona into humans, attacks a group of guards to buy Shrek time to save Fiona, and befriends Shrek and Donkey (although he starts a rivalry with the latter). At the end of the film, Puss sings a duet
A duet is a musical composition for two performers in which the performers have equal importance to the piece, often a composition involving two singers or two pianists. It differs from a harmony, as the performers take turns performing a solo ...
with Donkey, performing Livin' la Vida Loca
"Livin' la Vida Loca" () is a song recorded by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin for his fifth studio album and English-language debut, ''Ricky Martin'' (1999). The song was written by Draco Rosa and Desmond Child, while the production was handl ...
.[
]
''Shrek the Third''
In the film ''Shrek the Third
''Shrek the Third'' (also known as ''Shrek 3'') is a 2007 American computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the 1990 picture book '' Shrek!'' by William Steig, produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The se ...
'' (2007), Puss travels with Shrek and Donkey to bring Fiona's cousin, Arthur Pendragon
King Arthur ( cy, Brenin Arthur, kw, Arthur Gernow, br, Roue Arzhur) is a legendary king of Britain, and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain.
In the earliest traditions, Arthur appears as a ...
, to the Far Far Away Kingdom so he can become the new king (instead of Shrek). During their journey, Puss gives Shrek advice. In a later teleportation
Teleportation is the hypothetical transfer of matter or energy from one point to another without traversing the physical space between them. It is a common subject in science fiction literature and in other popular culture. Teleportation is oft ...
spell, Puss has his body switched with Donkey's. After initial difficulty getting used to their new bodies, Puss and Donkey join forces in the battle against Prince Charming
Prince Charming is a fairy tale stock character who comes to the rescue of a damsel in distress and must engage in a quest to liberate her from an evil spell. This classification suits most heroes of a number of traditional folk tales, incl ...
to save Shrek, and they convince Arthur that he is meant to be king. Puss and Donkey regain their own bodies and, in an end-of-film ellipsis
The ellipsis (, also known informally as dot dot dot) is a series of dots that indicates an intentional omission of a word, sentence, or whole section from a text without altering its original meaning. The plural is ellipses. The term origin ...
, Puss and other characters care for Shrek and Fiona's children
A child ( : children) is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty, or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition of ''child'' generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger ...
.
''Shrek Forever After''
Puss is present in the film ''Shrek Forever After'', at the beginning of which he attends the first birthday party of Shrek and Fiona's children. In the alternate universe created by the film's antagonist
An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the chief foe of the protagonist.
Etymology
The English word antagonist comes from the Greek ἀνταγωνιστής – ''antagonistēs'', "opponent, competitor, villain, enemy, riv ...
, Rumpelstiltskin
"Rumpelstiltskin" ( ; german: Rumpelstilzchen) is a German fairy tale. It was collected by the Brothers Grimm in the 1812 edition of ''Children's and Household Tales''. The story is about a little imp who spins straw into gold in exchange for a g ...
, and entered by Shrek, Puss has gained weight and is Fiona's pet
A pet, or companion animal, is an animal kept primarily for a person's company or entertainment rather than as a working animal, livestock, or a laboratory animal. Popular pets are often considered to have attractive appearances, intelligence, ...
after his retirement. Realizing that Shrek and Fiona have feelings for each other, Puss becomes Shrek's friend. When Shrek, Fiona, and the other ogres in this universe are captured at Rumpelstiltskin's behest, Puss and Donkey save Shrek and Fiona; Puss is a key participant in the later battle against Rumpelstiltskin and his allies. Shrek returns to the real universe, where Puss (as his usual self) enjoys the birthday party with the other characters.
''Puss in Boots''
The film ''Puss in Boots'' is a spin-off from, and prequel
A prequel is a literary, dramatic or cinematic work whose story precedes that of a previous work, by focusing on events that occur before the original narrative. A prequel is a work that forms part of a backstory to the preceding work.
The term " ...
to, the ''Shrek'' films.[ After he was abandoned when he was little, Puss finds shelter at an orphanage in the town of San Ricardo and is adopted by Imelda, the caretaker of the orphanage. He becomes friends with Humpty Alexander Dumpty, another resident of the orphanage who gives him the name "Puss" and with whom he decides to find the magic beans that would bring them to the ]Golden Goose
"The Golden Goose" (german: Die goldene Gans) is a fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm (KHM 64).
Story
In the Brothers Grimm version, the hero is the youngest of three brothers, given the nickname Simpleton as he is not handsome or st ...
(which lays golden eggs). Puss performs a heroic act, for which he receives acclaim and his boots. His bond with Humpty begins to fray, and Humpty compels Puss to (unknowingly) rob a bank with him. Puss leaves San Ricardo; years later, he learns who owns the magic beans and plans to steal them. He meets a cat who also wants to steal them: Kitty Softpaws, Humpty's partner. Humpty asks Puss to join them in their search for the beans, and Puss eventually accepts. They find the beans, plant them, and a beanstalk brings them to a castle in the sky. They find the Golden Goose and return with it to the ground. Puss returns to San Ricardo, where he realizes that Humpty has been plotting against him. Puss is arrested, and he learns that the Golden Goose's mother will come and try to retrieve it. With Kitty's help, Puss escapes, goes to Humpty, and they reconcile. Humpty sacrifices himself to allow Puss to save the Golden Goose and return it to its mother (preventing the town's destruction), and Puss and Kitty escape the town guards.[
]
''Puss in Boots: The Last Wish''
Having burned through eight of his nine lives, Puss must set out on a journey to find the mythical Last Wish and restore his lost lives.
Other appearances
Puss is present in the short film
A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...
''Far Far Away Idol
''Shrek 2'' is a 2004 American computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the 1990 picture book ''Shrek!'' by William Steig, produced by DreamWorks Animation and released by DreamWorks Pictures. The sequel to ''Shrek'' (2001) and the sec ...
'' (2004), singing a part of the song "These Boots Are Made for Walking
"These Boots Are Made for Walkin' is a hit song written by Lee Hazlewood and recorded by American singer Nancy Sinatra. It charted on January 22, 1966, and reached No.1 in the United States ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and in the UK Singles Chart.
Su ...
"; he also appears in his own music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
of this song.[ Puss is present in the ]television special
A television special (often TV special, or rarely television spectacular) is a standalone television show which may also temporarily interrupt episodic programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Some specials provide a full range of ent ...
''Shrek the Halls
''Shrek the Halls'' is an American Christmas computer-animated comedy television special that premiered on the American television network ABC
on November 28, 2007. The thirty minute Christmas special was co-written and directed by Gary Trousdal ...
'' (2007), going with other characters to Shrek's home to celebrate Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
and telling a Christmas story. He also appears in the television special ''Scared Shrekless
''Scared Shrekless'' is a 26-minute computer-animated Halloween horror comedy television special, set shortly after the events of ''Shrek Forever After'', that premiered on the American television network NBC on October 28, 2010. ''Scared Shrekles ...
'' (2010), participating in a storytelling
Storytelling is the social and cultural activity of sharing stories, sometimes with improvisation, theatrics or embellishment. Every culture has its own stories or narratives, which are shared as a means of entertainment, education, cultural pre ...
contest to frighten Shrek on Halloween
Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...
; Puss tells a story with Donkey, but they cannot agree on a version. Puss appears in the short film '' Donkey's Caroling Christmas-tacular'' (2010), singing his version of the song " Feliz Navidad". Puss is also present in the short film ''Thriller Night
''Shrek'' is an American media franchise made by DreamWorks Animation, loosely based on William Steig's 1990 picture book ''Shrek!''. It includes four computer-animated films: ''Shrek'' (2001), ''Shrek 2'' (2004), ''Shrek the Third'' (2007), a ...
'' (2011), in which a zombie
A zombie (Haitian French: , ht, zonbi) is a mythological undead corporeal revenant created through the reanimation of a corpse. Zombies are most commonly found in horror and fantasy genre works. The term comes from Haitian folklore, in whic ...
version of him is shown. He also appears in the short film '' Puss in Boots: The Three Diablos'' (2012), training three kittens and leading them to the right path.[ Puss is the protagonist of the Netflix series '']The Adventures of Puss in Boots
''The Adventures of Puss in Boots'' is an American computer-animated streaming television series. It stars the character Puss in Boots from DreamWorks Animation's ''Shrek'' franchise and its 2011 spin-off film, voiced by Eric Bauza. The series ...
'', protecting the city of San Lorenzo from intruders after accidentally breaking the spell that was meant to defend it; he is also present in '' Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale'' (2017), a television special included in the series. He will appear in the future film ''Puss in Boots 2'' as well. Puss is present in DreamWorksTV
DreamWorksTV (also stylized DreamWorks TV and Dtv) is a 2016 television series broadcast in Canada on both Family Channel and Family Chrgd.
Each episode is a compilation of videos originally released as distinct YouTube videos from the YouTube c ...
s vlog
A video blog or video log, sometimes shortened to vlog (), is a form of blog for which the medium is video. Vlog entries often combine embedded video (or a video link) with supporting text, images, and other metadata. Entries can be recorded in ...
-style short webisode
A webisode (portmanteau of "web" and "episode") is an episode of a series that is distributed as part of a web series or on streaming television. It is available as either for download or in streaming, as opposed to first airing on broadcast or c ...
s. He has appeared on ''Jeopardy!
''Jeopardy!'' is an American game show created by Merv Griffin. The show is a quiz competition that reverses the traditional question-and-answer format of many quiz shows. Rather than being given questions, contestants are instead given genera ...
'', being the first computer-animated character to provide an entire category in the show. Puss can be seen in a commercial
Commercial may refer to:
* a dose of advertising conveyed through media (such as - for example - radio or television)
** Radio advertisement
** Television advertisement
* (adjective for:) commerce, a system of voluntary exchange of products and s ...
parodying an Old Spice advertisement.
Puss is a playable character
A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not contr ...
in several ''Shrek'' video games
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device to gener ...
, such as ''Shrek 2
''Shrek 2'' is a 2004 American computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the 1990 picture book ''Shrek!'' by William Steig, produced by DreamWorks Animation and released by DreamWorks Pictures. The sequel to ''Shrek'' (2001) and the seco ...
'', ''Shrek the Third
''Shrek the Third'' (also known as ''Shrek 3'') is a 2007 American computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the 1990 picture book '' Shrek!'' by William Steig, produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The se ...
'', ''Shrek Forever After
''Shrek Forever After'' is a 2010 American computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the 1990 picture book ''Shrek!'' by William Steig, produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The sequel to ''Shrek the Thi ...
'', ''Puss in Boots
"Puss in Boots" ( it, Il gatto con gli stivali) is an Italian fairy tale, later spread throughout the rest of Europe, about an anthropomorphic cat who uses trickery and deceit to gain power, wealth, and the hand of a princess in marriage for hi ...
'', ''Shrek SuperSlam
''Shrek SuperSlam'' is a fighting video game featuring characters from the ''Shrek'' film series. It was developed by Shaba Games, published by Activision and released in the fall of 2005 for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube, Nintendo DS and Game ...
'', ''Shrek Smash n' Crash Racing
''Shrek Smash n' Crash Racing'' is a kart racing video game released in November 2006. The game is based on the Shrek franchise. Players have the option of playing one of twelve Shrek characters, using racing and combat skills to defeat other ra ...
'', ''Shrek n' Roll
''Shrek n' Roll'' is a video game developed by Backbone Entertainment and published by Activision on November 14, 2007. The puzzle game was released on the Xbox 360.
Gameplay
The gameplay consists of two Shrek characters
''Shrek'' is ...
'', '' Shrek 2: Beg for Mercy'', '' Shrek's Carnival Craze Party Games'', and '' Shrek Kart''. He also appears in the video games '' Shrek: Dragon's Tale'', '' Shrek the Third: Arthur's School Day Adventure'', and '' Shrek the Third: The Search for Arthur''. A tie-in videogame for the character's 2011 movie, '' Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots,'' was also released.
Puss makes a brief cameo appearance in ''Shrek The Musical
''Shrek The Musical'' is a musical with music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire. It is based on the 2001 DreamWorks Animation film ''Shrek'', along with elements of its sequels: '' Shrek 2'', ''Shrek Forever After'' ...
'', during the "''Travel Song''" scene. Puss has two theme park rides based on his franchise, the Puss in Boots' Giant Journey
Universal Studios Singapore (abbreviation: USS) is a theme park located within the Resorts World Sentosa at Sentosa, Singapore. It features 28 Theme park#Rides and attractions, rides, shows, and Theme park#Rides and attractions, attractions in ...
rollercoaster
A roller coaster, or rollercoaster, is a type of amusement ride that employs a form of elevated railroad track designed with tight turns, steep slopes, and sometimes inversions. Passengers ride along the track in open cars, and the rides are o ...
at Universal Studios Singapore
Universal Studios Singapore (abbreviation: USS) is a theme park located within the Resorts World Sentosa at Sentosa, Singapore. It features 28 Theme park#Rides and attractions, rides, shows, and Theme park#Rides and attractions, attractions in ...
, and Puss in Boots Sword Swing at Australia's Dreamworld theme park. Puss and Kitty Softpaws have appeared in several stage shows, parades, and meet-and-greet locations across several Universal theme parks around the world.
Reception
Critical response
Critical reception of Puss has been generally positive, with reviewers praising his portrayal in the films and describing him as "cute", "suave",[ "lovable",] "charismatic", "feisty", "engaging", " and "an instant charmer."[ "a natural-born star", "a notorious adventurer",][ the "suavest of swashbuckling cats", and "the world's greatest feline swordfighter". He was also regarded as "smooth-talking",] "heroic", "honorable", self-confident, "passionate", loyal,[ with "humble" origins.][ '']Collider
A collider is a type of particle accelerator which brings two opposing particle beams together such that the particles collide. Colliders may either be ring accelerators or linear accelerators.
Colliders are used as a research tool in particle ...
''s Christina Radish said that Puss getting his own film was no surprise, commenting that the character is "charming and unforgettable."[ '' Fantasy Magazine''s Andrew Penn Romine called Puss "equal parts rogue and hero",][ but ]Stephen Holden
Stephen Holden (born July 18, 1941) is an American writer, poet, and music and film critic.
Biography
Holden earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Yale University in 1963. He worked as a photo editor, staff writer, and eventually be ...
of ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' described the character as "this vain, spoiled, swashbuckler". According to Holden, Puss is not "as clear-cut a personality n ''Puss in Boots''as he was" in the ''Shrek'' films.[ ''IndieLondon''s Rob Carnevale called him a "cheeky feline swashbuckler" and ''Puss in Boots''s "enigmatic central character".][ ]Todd McCarthy
Todd McCarthy (born February 16, 1950) is an American film critic and author. He wrote for ''Variety'' for 31 years as its chief film critic until 2010. In October of that year, he joined ''The Hollywood Reporter'', where he subsequently served ...
of ''The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' described Puss as a "dashing little kitty centerstage", "ever-bold", and "a self-deprecating, sometimes bumbling but ultimately dashing swordsman".[ McCarthy enjoyed Puss's "vigorous physicality" in ''Puss in Boots''.][ ]Neil Genzlinger
Neil Genzlinger is an American playwright, editor, book reviewer, and theatre and television critic who frequently writes for ''The New York Times''.
Family
Genzlinger is a grandson of the late ''The Philadelphia Bulletin'' columnist Don Rose. ...
of ''The New York Times'' called Puss "endearing", "dashing and fearless but also a tad reckless".[ Chrissy Iley of '']The Telegraph
''The Telegraph'', ''Daily Telegraph'', ''Sunday Telegraph'' and other variant names are popular names for newspapers. Newspapers with these titles include:
Australia
* ''The Telegraph'' (Adelaide), a newspaper in Adelaide, South Australia, publ ...
'' described him as "the world's most seductive animated cat".[ '']IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
''s Andy Patrizio enjoyed Puss in ''Shrek 2'', and Scott Collura of the same website said that Puss "remains dignified and cool" in ''Shrek Forever After'' despite his weight gain. The character has been regarded as a source of comic relief.
Critics have stated that Puss is similar to Zorro,[ and he was called "a glorious reimagining of the swashbuckling charm of Zorro".][ Reviewers have also said that Puss resembles ]Captain Jack Sparrow
Captain Jack Sparrow is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the ''Pirates of the Caribbean'' film series. The character was created by screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio and is portrayed by Johnny Depp.
The characteriza ...
from the film series ''Pirates of the Caribbean
''Pirates of the Caribbean'' is a Disney media franchise encompassing numerous theme park rides, a series of films, and spin-off novels, as well as a number of related video games and other media publications. The franchise originated with th ...
'', because of him being a "swashbuckling",[ "charismatic scene-stealer".][ Puss has also been commented to share similarities with the characters ]Don Juan
Don Juan (), also known as Don Giovanni (Italian), is a legendary, fictional Spanish libertine who devotes his life to seducing women. Famous versions of the story include a 17th-century play, '' El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra'' ...
, Pepé Le Pew
Pepé Le Pew is an animated character from the Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' series of cartoons, introduced in 1945. Depicted as a French striped skunk, Pepé is constantly on the quest for love. However, his offensive ...
, and Tarzan
Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...
.
The character's design has been discussed and praised, with Jesse Hassenger of ''PopMatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
'' calling Puss a "spry, well-dressed" cat.[ '']Comic Book Resources
''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion.
History
Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...
'' writer Rob Levin described him as "a legend in his own right", with an "upright strut and leather boots".[ Christy Lemire of '']Boston.com
''Boston.com'' is a regional website that offers news and information about the Boston, Massachusetts, region. It is owned and operated by Boston Globe Media Partners, the publisher of ''The Boston Globe''.
History
''Boston.com'' was one of t ...
'' said that Puss "looks so soft and fluffy and tactile in his little, leather boots, his ... feathered hat and his shiny sword"; she described him as "a tabby cat decked out in tiny Zorro duds". Todd McCarthy called Puss "a short orange critter with green eyes, feathered hat and large boots",[ and A. O. Scott of ''The New York Times'' praised his "convincingly animated fur".][ Puss's hat has been described as "jaunty",][ and as a "Charles de Batz de Castelmore d'Artagnan, d'Artagnan hat".][ Graham Young of the ''Birmingham Post'' stated that ''Puss in Boots'' was "one of the most entertaining animations" he had ever seen, citing Puss's "wondrous", "little teeth" as a contributing factor to this.] The character has been regarded as "tiny",[ with a ''Spin South West'' writer calling him "small in stature, but huge in personality".][
Puss's ability to trick his opponents with his eyes has also been praised, with ''NJ.com'' writer Mark Voger describing it as Puss's "sympathy-winning big-eyes technique".] Katharine M. Rogers wrote in her book titled ''Cat'' that while Puss is "an ostentatiously fierce swashbuckler", he is also able to "instantly melt any opponent by gazing at him", using his "steady, confiding gaze";[ she thought that Puss's eyes "seem to consist entirely of warmly dark, liquid pupils".][ James Mottram of ''The National (Abu Dhabi), The National'' viewed the way Puss was "widening his eyes and mewing" as his "main weapon", referring to it as "a comic gem that, wisely, the filmmakers only resort to once" (in ''Puss in Boots'') and feeling this is a detail that makes the film a delight.][ Ben Sherlock of ''Screen Rant'' regarded Puss as "popular" and said that "his technique of looking adorable with gigantic eyes to get his opponents to drop their guard before launching an attack on them" never fails. Jesse Hassenger described Puss as a "swashbuckling cat with the trappings of an actual feline, like purring and looking adorable to disarm enemies".][ Hassenger called Puss's eyes "big", "cute", and "not always easy to resist" (despite their purpose being "visible").][ Graham Young described Puss's eyes as "emerald mince pies".][ ''Empire (film magazine), Empire''s Dan Jolin called the character's "dilated-pupils" a "cute act", and another ''Empire'' writer also praised Puss's ability to widen his eyes.][ Nev Pierce of the ''BBC'' described his eyes as "cutesy" and "saucer-like". ''IGN'' writer Jeff Otto wrote that Puss "can give the most adorable wide-eyed look" to "lure" his enemies into "his vicious swashbuckling attacks".][ Christy Lemire praised that Puss is "working those big, green eyes for maximum manipulative effect".][ Puss's "big eyes" were also described as a running gag.
Reviewers have provided comments regarding the character's popularity. Steven Lebowitz of ''AXS (company), AXS'' said that Puss was "just as popular as Shrek",][ and Joseph Airdo of the same website called him "arguably the most popular" character in the ''Shrek'' franchise.] Ashley Rodriguez of ''Quartz (publication), Quartz'' also described Puss as a "popular ''Shrek'' character". ''Tech Times'' writer Robin Parrish called Puss "everyone's favorite ''Shrek'' sidekick".[ Christina Radish characterized Puss as an "adorable little creature" who had become "a fan favorite in the ''Shrek'' films",][ and ''Quickflix''s Simon Miraudo called him one of the franchise's "signature characters".][ Rob Carnevale stated that Puss was "the real star of the franchise" to many ''Shrek'' fans.][ Andrew Penn Romine said that he is "one of the most popular characters in recent animation history".][ Marc Savlov of ''The Austin Chronicle'' felt that Puss was "the freshest and sharpest ... surprise" of ''Shrek 2'';][ he was described as this "film's most delightful new character", "the most hilarious new character", the "most memorable character",][ "the most fantastic addition of all",][ "the franchise's greatest character", and "the best character of all". Stephen Holden wrote that although Puss "has his charms", "he is not as memorable a character as Shrek or Shrek's mouthy sidekick, Donkey",][ and Matt Fowler of ''IGN'' described him as "perhaps better suited as a side character".] Puss was ranked 11th on ''Empire''s top 50 animated film characters list.[
Critics have praised Banderas's voicing. Rob Levin said that Puss has "a decidedly Latin flavor" in the ''Shrek'' films because of Banderas, who "plays the part with gusto, giving the tiny hero all the bravado and charm of his real-life persona".][ According to Andrew Penn Romine, Banderas voiced Puss "with feline gravitas".][ Rob Carnevale called Banderas's performance "inimitable".][ ''Rogue Pictures, IAmRogue''s Dana Gardner wrote that Banderas "brought plenty of comedy to the role of Puss by playing the character so melodramatically". Matt Fowler found Banderas "perfectly suitable as Puss",][ and Todd McCarthy called his performance "spirited and knowing".][ James Mottram praised "Banderas's charm" as well.][ Graham Young felt that Banderas's performance improved ''Shrek 2'', resembling his acting in ''The Mask of Zorro'',][ and Chrissy Iley described Puss as "a feline spoof of [Banderas's] Zorro character".][ Donna Bowater of ''The Telegraph'' called Banderas's performance "famous". Jeff Otto said that Banderas "lends a fantastic energy to the character", making viewers "wish for more of him".][ Alan Jones (film critic), Alan Jones of ''Radio Times'' also enjoyed Banderas's voice acting. According to an ''Empire'' reviewer, Puss was "voiced to perfection by Banderas".][ In the book titled ''Stars in World Cinema: Screen Icons and Star Systems Across Cultures'', the authors wrote that the "European roots" of the fairy tale "Puss in Boots" were "revived through the presence of Banderas".] They stated that while Banderas's "on-screen persona" had been based on "his sensuality and body image", he then exchanged this representation for the image of "an animated ginger cat".[ The writers also commented that Puss's voice "was intended to speak to the audience's [internalized] views regarding accent and regional profile";][ they said it was "vital" for Puss "not to belong to the dominant cultural group" despite being "adopted into that group".][ In his book titled ''The Animated Movie Guide'', author Jerry Beck wrote that Banderas voiced Puss with "a Castilian accent" in the Latin American version and with "an Andalusian accent" in the Spanish version;] he mentioned that both accents sounded "funny" to their respective target audiences.[ ''Entertainment Weekly''s Maureen Lee Lenker said that Puss had become a "fan favorite" after his first appearance in the ''Shrek'' franchise, mostly because of Banderas's "smooth Spanish accent";][ the "tie-in" with Banderas was stated to "largely" contribute to Puss's popularity.][
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Merchandise
Merchandise based on the character has been released, including plush toys. The company Funko has launched vinyl figures depicting Puss. McDonald's toys inspired by Puss have also been produced. Pez candy dispensers based on Puss have been created as well. Backpacks that portray Puss on their print have been released, and articles of clothing inspired by him have also been produced. A Monopoly (game), ''Monopoly'' game based on Puss and other ''Shrek'' characters has been invented.
References
{{Puss in Boots
Shrek characters
Male characters in animated films
Film characters introduced in 2004
Animated characters introduced in 2004
Anthropomorphic cats
Fictional swordfighters
Fictional Spanish people
Fictional bounty hunters
Film sidekicks