Details emerge on the fourth 'Shrek' sequel, 'Shrek Forever After', which is coming in 3D

"Shrek Forever After" is coming to theaters in 3D, and we've got the details below!

We loved the original "Shrek" here at the Comedy Examiner's Office, found the second one to be 90% as good, and thought the third was just "Meh". By the laws of diminishing creative returns, we're thinking that "Shrek Forever After" may end up being the least entertaining in the series. Having said that (thanks, Larry David), we still think it'll make a boatload of money. Here's the details on what to expect when the next "Shrek" hits theaters, my gentle Examiner readers...

Slash Film is running a story about the next "Shrek" film, which is apparently titled "Shrek Forever After". We say "apparently" because, somehow, we were unaware this film was even happening until we read Slash Film's article. Go figure.

Here's some of what they're saying we can expect from Shrek's next adventure:

Shrek Forever After will be the last Shrek sequel and will conclude the story, hence the film’s title — which isn’t just a play on the number 4. Of course, this isn’t including spinoff films like Puss in Boots). And who are they kidding? Dreamworks will probably eventually make another Shrek film — the franchise is too popular not to.

The first trailer will premiere on December 18th 2009 attached to prints of James Cameron’s Avatar. This makes sense since Shrek Forever After is a 3D film, and Avatar will provide the biggest theatrical 3D audience to date.

The story is a mashup of The Brothers Grimm and It’s a Wonderful Life: “Shrek is feeling over-domesticated. He has lost his roar.” “To regain his ogre mojo, he strikes a deal with Rumpelstiltskin,” but “the pact goes awry and Shrek must confront what life would be like in Far Far Away if he had never existed. That translates into Donkey being forced into cart-pulling duty, fat and lazy Puss in Boots trading his sword for a pink bow and the underhanded Rumpelstiltskin ruling the kingdom.”

Kathy Griffin and Kristin Schaal (Flight of the Conchords) are witches who hunt ogres.

Jon Hamm (Mad Men) voices the best-looking ogre you’ve ever seen, the leader of an underground resistance group..

Sounds like it might actually be worth a peek, right? It's not often that a fourth film in a series can retain all the flavor that the original once had, though, so we're not blindly assuming that "Shrek Forever After" will be great, just that it'll likely be worth at least one viewing. But what do we know? We didn't really enjoy the last one, so maybe this series is no longer our cup of tea. But if it's yours, this should come as good news, indeed.

Stay tuned for more "Shrek Forever After" news as it becomes available here at the Comedy Examiner's Office. And, while you're waiting on that to arrive, why not take a look at one of our other recent articles:

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(photo: mediaspin.com)