Shrek is today one of the most beloved characters in cinema, and the films in the franchise have become true animation classics. The adventures of the ogre, alongside his friend ‘Donkey’, have brought joy to millions of fans around the world.
Few people know, however, that the story of Shrek was originally going to have a very different look than it ended up having when it was released in theaters in the early 2000s.
Believe me, it wouldn’t be something so nice and funny, on the contrary. It would be something quite bizarre.
The difference is essentially due to the change in responsibility for production. Before the DreamWorks take over the first Shrek film, released in 2001, the role would be performed by a studio called Zoom Art Studio.
Shrek’s First Test Video
Proof of this came in the form of a video. Images from the first animation test for the film went viral on the internet in recent days, due to the clear difference in relation to the Shrek we all know.
The first attempts to achieve the final result of what would become the film date back to 1995. Until then, the prediction was that the project would have a relaxed tone and would be executed with a low budget.
Early version of ‘Shrek’. – Photo: Zoom Art Studio/Reproduction
In the images, the clear difference can be seen. Shrek’s initial test features a bizarre and even dark look.
The film would star comedian Chris Farley as the ogre. He is the same actor who starred in the film ‘Mong and Loid’.
Check out the footage from the first audition for Shrek. The video is only available on YouTube. To watch it, just click on the player below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5qvMdoxGnc
Shelved idea
The end of the story, as everyone knows, was that this first version of the character was not carried out. Despite having been shelved, the images immortalize the way in which the most famous ogre in cinema was conceived.
The video had been lost for about 20 years and was only published now by Zoom Art Studio on its website. YouTube. It already has more than 680 thousand views in three days.
