John Lithgow is a versatile actor and has accepted roles in all sorts of movie genres, including animated films. He also stars in Shrek as the voice of Lord Farquaad. The movie’s great, handpicked cast is one of the reasons why Shrek was such a hit and why fans keep returning to it 25 years later. So much so that it has even turned into a streaming sensation across the globe. According to Netflix, it reached the top of the charts, being among the five most-watched movies this month.
DreamWorks’ iconic fairy tale movie, Shrek, first hit theaters back in 2001. It had a princess, dragons, fairies, ogres, and, of course, a talking donkey — everything you’d need to make a good children’s fantasy movie — but it also had subtle innuendos, pop culture references, and a variety of jokes that only the adults could understand. It appealed to both younger and older audiences.
Overall, Shrek had everything it needed to become a success, including a great set of voice actors. Mike Myers brought back the Scottish accent that he previously used for Austin Powers‘ Fat Bastard character to voice Shrek. Cameron Diaz delivered one of the best portrayals of a princess as Fiona. Comedy legend Eddie Murphy voiced everyone’s favorite fairy tale donkey. And John Lithgow took on the role of the detestable Lord Farquaad, a cowardly villain with one of the worst haircuts in animated film history.
Shrek reaches Global Top 5 on Netflix
As time went by, Shrek continued to live on through memes and nostalgia. In 2026, it celebrated its 25th anniversary and returned to theaters. It is also available to stream on Netflix alongside the other films in the franchise. According to Netflix’s Global Top 10 Movies list, Shrek has been particularly popular this September. It started the month as the fifth most-watched movie on the platform, and it remained in the Top 10 the following week.
In October, these charts are expected to consist mostly of horror movies, but for now, it seems that subscribers are in the mood for a fun, entertaining classic. If you missed Shrek‘s return to theaters, this is the perfect chance to give it another watch. You can also look forward to Shrek 5, coming to theaters Jun. 30, 2027.
