Having starred in two hugely successful feature films, everyone’s favorite green fairytale ogre is poised to become a holiday TV staple. ABC Ent. has picked up Shrek The Halls, an original animated holiday special from DreamWorks Animation SKG. The half-hour program is slated to air on ABC in December of 2007, joining the network’s library of Christmas specials which also includes the Rankin & Bass favorite Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town and the perennial Peanuts offering A Charlie Brown Christmas and I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown.
“The time has come to celebrate the joys of the holiday season with Shrek and his family, and see how Christmas would play out in his world,’ says DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg. ‘Shrek the Halls follows a natural storytelling path for us, and we’re so happy to be partnered with ABC in expanding the world of Shrek into the television arena.”
Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and Antonio Banderas will reprise their roles from the CG-animated film series as Shrek The Halls brings Christmas home to the swamp and Shrek, Fiona, Donkey and Puss In Boots put their own twist on favorite holiday traditions. The special will be directed by Gary Trousdale (Beauty and the Beast) and produced by Teresa Cheng (Madagascar) and Gina Shay (The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie).
Despite misfiring with the short-lived NBC series Father of the Pride, DreamWorks Animation has recently shown a lot of interest in expanding its properties to television. In addition to the Shrek special, fans can look forward to regular series based on Madagacar and the upcoming feature Kung Fu Panda.
The next Shrek feature, Shrek the Third, is slated to arrive in theaters on May 18, 2007. Also in the works is a Puss In Boots spin-off that is being prepped for theaters as well. ABC will host the world television premiere of Shrek 2 on Sunday, Nov. 24, at 8 p.m.
