Shrek 2
How to craft a sequel better than the original?
EST V ACT domestic box office revenue
$358 – 415MM v $439MM
Mythosis universal quests used
4
Audience appeal
19.71 – 22.82%
Script Score
0.66
Shrek 2 written & directed by Andrew Adamson became one of the highest-grossing films of 2004. Though the movie was lauded for its humour and cultural references, it also had a compelling story.
The script masterfully weaves together four distinct arcs: the scheming attempt to seize the princess, the rebellion against this unjust force, an unwavering quest to reclaim the princess, and the unexpected alliance with a former foe. Each arc made the characters memorable and cemented the movie’s legacy as a standout animated feature.
1. The invisible plot structure of Shrek 2
1A. The script of Shrek 2 borrows 90% of its events from 4 mythological tales
The desire to protect loved ones drives Shrek’s quest. The quest borrows events from the tale of Demeter in Greek mythology. Both Demeter and Shrek set out to recover their loved ones.
The desire to avenge offenders drives Fairy Godmother’s quest. The quest borrows events from the tale of Duryodhan in Hindu mythology. Duryodhan’s attempt to overthrow the Pandavas and acquire their kingdom is similar to Fairy Godmother’s quest to kill Shrek and get Prince Charming married to Fiona.
The desire for fairness & justice drives Harold’s quest. The quest borrows events from the tale of Prometheus from Greek mythology. Similar to Prometheus, Harold rebels to stop the exploitation by unscrupulous forces.
The desire for honour drives Puss in Boots’ quest. The quest borrows events from the tale of Hanuman in Hindu mythology. Both Hanuman & Puss in Boots become loyal allies of those that they initially suspected.
Fiona & Donkey have an under-developed quest of Social Contact & Honour.
NOTE: Detailed mirroring of each character’s primary quest to their respective mythological tales is in section “3A. Quests of characters and their mythological counterparts”
Mythosis plot structure
#876,606
Tales interweaved
Duryodhan, Prometheus, Demeter & Hanuman
I. How does interweaving mythological tales lead to infinite story plots?
II. Can the pursuit of a Desire have more than one quest?
2. The potential of Shrek 2’s plot structure: $358 - 415MM
The interweaving of 32 mythological tales can generate a billion unique stories. By using these 32 tales, we can extract the plot structure of any story across various genres. Our study of blockbuster, hit, and flop plot structures led to the discovery of the Mythosis Code, a set of principles for creating compelling stories. The plot structure of a story is analyzed to see how well it adheres to these storytelling principles.
2A. Plot structure evaluation of Shrek 2
- All Blockbusters have at least 3 universal quests. Shrek 2 uses four universal quests of Vengeance, Idealism, Family & Honour
- In Blockbusters, each universal quest is mirrored by ONLY ONE character. Shrek mirrors the universal quest of Family. Fairy Godmother mirrors the quest of Vengeance. Harold mirrors Idealism & Puss in Boots mirrors Honour.
- Every Blockbuster character borrows at least 35% of the universal quest. Shrek borrows 52% events from the quest of Family. Harold borrows 32% from Idealism. Fairy Godmother borrows 36% from Vengeance. Puss in Boots 16% from Honour.
- Blockbusters have a quest interweaving threshold of 0.5. Interweaving occurs when events of 2 quests occur simultaneously in the story. Shrek 2’s quest interweaving score of 0.70 is above par.
For instance, an example of interweaving the quests of Harold & Fairy Godmother:
2B. Box office revenue estimation of Shrek 2
Shrek 2’s plot structure has three robust quests, each driven by a unique desire. Moreover, these quests are well interwoven with each other.
The Script Score measures a plot structure’s adherence to the four principles of Mythosis Code. We use the Script Score to estimate a movie’s audience appeal & revenues. Blockbuster plot structures have a score of at least 0.64 and appeal to 20% of the audiences.
Script Score
0.66
Audience appeal
19.71 – 22.82%
I. How is Mythosis Code used to estimate revenues?
II. Aren’t box-office revenues influenced by several factors beyond just the story plot?
3. The ideal plot structure of Shrek 2
We have identified 32 mythological tales, the superset of all tales across cultures. The quests of these tales have also recurred over time periods. They represent human behaviours that are deeply embedded in our shared memories. Each tale is the richest expression of the pursuit of a human desire. The tales have a unique pattern of events spread over 5 major arcs.
Mapping a character’s quest to the relevant mythological tale reveals the gaps in their quest, if any. Plugging these gaps with the missing events deepens the character quest. The missing events also provide an opportunity for interweaving the various quests. These events strengthen the story and unlock its hidden potential.
3A.Quest of characters and their mythological counterparts
Quest 1: Shrek mirrors the universal quest for Family
Shrek’s desire for Family stems from the need to nurture and protect. The tale of Demeter from Greek mythology is the universal quest for Family.
Quest 2: Fairy Godmother mirrors the universal quest for Vengeance
Fairy Godmother’s desire for Vengeance stems from the need to punish offenders. The tale of Duryodhan from Hindu mythology is the universal quest for Vengeance.
Quest 3: Harold mirrors the universal quest for Idealism
Harold’s desire for Idealism stems from the need for fairness & justice. The tale of Prometheus from Greek mythology is the universal quest for Idealism.
Quest 4: Puss in Boots mirrors the universal quest for Honour
Puss in Boots’ desire for Honour stems from the need to be loyal to ones’ clan/order. The tale of Hanuman from Hindu mythology is the universal quest for Honour.
3B.Gaps in the current plot structure
The possibility of further strengthening Puss in Boots’ quest already exists in the plot structure. The quest could have been reinforced without impacting any of the other quests.
3C.Unlocking the hidden potential
The plot of Shrek 2 is a subset of blockbuster plot structure #876,606. It emerges from interweaving the tales of Duryodhan, Prometheus, Demeter & Hanuman.
Contact us for Mythosis plot structure #876,606
Tags: Demeter, Family, Duryodhan, Vengeance, Prometheus, Idealism, Hanuman, Honour, Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury, Conrad Vernon, DreamWorks Animation, 2004