Puss in Boots

Development

Concept and creation

Puss in Boots is loosely based on the title character of the fairy tale with the same name. Character designer Tom Hester provided Puss's design, which was based on cats owned by Shrek director Andrew Adamson and effects supervisor Ken Bielenberg. After Antonio Banderas had been cast as Puss's voice, the Shrek animators analyzed his performance as the title character in The Mask of Zorro (1998) for insight into Puss's depiction. Inspired by Banderas's Zorro, the filmmakers decided to make Puss's origins Spanish (instead of the fairy tale's Italian and French). 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 (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 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 how much viewers enjoyed Puss's character, Jeffrey Katzenberg, co-founder of DreamWorks Animation, began considering "the idea of possibly continuing with the character in the Shrek series" and creating a film with Puss as the protagonist. Katzenberg called Puss a "scene stealer" and said he "seemed to beg for his own film" after his first appearance in the Shrek franchise. Miller knew that Puss was suitable for a standalone film, 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 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.

Voice

Robert Patrick, Harrison Ford, Sylvester Stallone, David Krumholtz, Dennis Quaid, and Todd Stashwick were considered for the role of Puss before Antonio Banderas was cast. Antonio Banderas voiced Puss in the Shrek franchise. Banderas said that his initial motivation to voice Puss was that he enjoyed the first Shrek film. According to the actor, he was chosen for the role of Puss because of his Spanish accent. According to Banderas, he was on Broadway for the musical Nine 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. 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 he felt that viewers did too.

Banderas said that the first scene he had recorded was coughing up a hairball, 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 Spanish and Italian, calling the Italian dub "the most challenging" since he had to follow "the character's face movement"; In the Spanish dubs, Puss speaks with a distinct Andalusian Spanish accent, including the use of ceceo (the "Castilian lisp"), reflective of Banderas' origins. 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 (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 (voiced by Salma Hayek) 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.

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 furry 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.

Appearances

Shrek 2

Puss makes his first appearance as a supporting character in the film Shrek 2, where he is initially hired by King Harold (Shrek's father-in-law) to kill Shrek. He meets Shrek and his companion, Donkey, and unsuccessfully attacks Shrek. Puss tells Shrek the reason for his attack and begs for mercy. Because Shrek refuses to harm him, 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 his wife, Princess 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 with Donkey, performing "Livin' la Vida Loca".

Shrek the Third

In the film Shrek the Third (2007), Puss travels with Shrek and Donkey to bring Fiona's cousin, Arthur Pendragon, 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 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 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, Puss and other characters care for Shrek and Fiona's children.

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, Rumpelstiltskin, and entered by Shrek, Puss has gained weight and is Fiona's pet after his retirement. Realizing that Shrek has feelings for Fiona and knows about her curse, Puss befriends Shrek. When Shrek, Fiona, and the other ogres in this universe are captured, Puss and Donkey save Shrek and Fiona; Puss is a key participant in the later battle against Rumpelstiltskin and his allies. Shrek returns to his 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 to, the Shrek films. After he was abandoned as a kitten, Puss finds shelter at an orphanage in the Spanish 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. 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 the town's bank. This causes Puss to become a wanted fugitive and leave 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, confronts Humpty who unleashes his wounded pride to Puss, 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

Puss is once again the title character and protagonist in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, a sequel to the 2011 film Puss in Boots; in the sequel, having used eight of his nine lives, Puss begins a journey to find the fabled Wishing Star and use it to restore his lost lives.

The Adventures of Puss in Boots

Puss is the protagonist of the non-canon Netflix series The Adventures of Puss in Boots, protecting the Spanish town of San Lorenzo after accidentally breaking the spell that was supposed to defend it; he is also present in Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale (2017), a television special included in the series.

Other appearances

Puss is present in the short film Far Far Away Idol (2004), singing a part of the song "These Boots Are Made for Walking"; he also appears in his own music video of this song. Puss is present in the television special Shrek the Halls (2007), going with other characters to Shrek's home to celebrate Christmas and telling a Christmas story. He also appears in the television special Scared Shrekless (2010), participating in a storytelling contest to frighten Shrek on Halloween; 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 (2011), in which a zombie 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 featured in the 2023 short film Puss in Boots: The Trident as well. He is present in DreamWorksTV's vlog-style short webisodes. He has appeared on Jeopardy!, being the first computer-animated character to provide an entire category in the show. Puss can be seen in a commercial parodying an Old Spice advertisement.

Puss is a playable character in several Shrek video games, such as Shrek 2, Shrek the Third, Shrek Forever After, Puss in Boots, Shrek SuperSlam, Shrek Smash n' Crash Racing, Shrek n' Roll, 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 video game for the character's 2011 film, Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots, has been released as well. He also appears as a playable character in DreamWorks All-Star Kart Racing video game.

Puss makes a cameo appearance in Shrek The Musical, during the "Travel Song" scene. He has appeared in different stage shows, including one at the Duluth Depot, and another at the Universal Studios Singapore theme park. Puss has two theme park rides based on his franchise, the Puss in Boots' Giant Journey roller coaster at Universal Studios Singapore, and the Puss in Boots Sword Swing at Australia's Dreamworld theme park. Puss has appeared in meet-and-greet locations across several Universal theme parks around the world. Universal Kids Resort includes a themed land based on the Puss in Boots franchise.

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", "legendary", "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's Christina Radish said that Puss getting his own film was not surprising, commenting that the character is "charming and unforgettable" and deeming him "a cat destined for great things" with a "tremendous heart"; she also regarded Puss as a "much-loved fighter". Fantasy Magazine's Andrew Penn Romine called Puss "equal parts rogue and hero", but Stephen Holden of The New York Times described the character as "this vain, spoiled, swashbuckler". According to Holden, Puss is not "as clear-cut a personality [in 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 of The Hollywood Reporter 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 of The New York Times called Puss "endearing", "dashing and fearless but also a tad reckless". Chrissy Iley of The Telegraph described him as "the world's most seductive animated cat". IGN'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 from the film series Pirates of the Caribbean, because of him being a "swashbuckling", "charismatic scene-stealer". Puss has also been commented to share similarities with the characters Don Juan, Pepé Le Pew, and Tarzan.

The character's design has been discussed and praised, with Jesse Hassenger of PopMatters calling Puss a "spry, well-dressed" cat. Comic Book Resources writer Rob Levin described him as "a legend in his own right", with an "upright strut and leather boots". Christy Lemire of Boston.com 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 "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".

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 based on Puss and other Shrek characters has been invented.