Shrek fans will get to step into the swamp: the 2001 film is being reworked for giant immersive domes ahead of Shrek 5
Cosm and Universal are reworking DreamWorks’ 2001 film for LED dome screens, the first animated title in their shared reality format. Tickets go on sale this autumn.
If you thought the Shrek franchise couldn’t possibly find another format to squeeze itself into, brace yourself. There’s a new version of the first film on the way, but it’s not what you might expect—no streaming rerelease, no daft “ultra HD,” but an “immersive shared reality” dome screening courtesy of a company called Cosm.
Shrek in Shared Reality will be the first animated film to premiere at Cosm’s LED domes.
Here’s the deal: starting soon, Cosm (a self-described “shared reality” company that’s only been around since 2020) is launching what they call a multi-film partnership with Universal Studios. Kicking this off, they’ll be giving the original Shrek a makeover—visually reworking it for Cosm’s massive LED dome screens. It’s not just a giant projector job either. The experience is designed so the audience can feel like they’re stepping straight into Shrek’s Swamp, the dulcet delights of Duloc’s Arena, the bright lights of the Kingdom of Far Far Away, and even Dragon’s Keep. They’re basically promising you’ll be sat there, “with” Shrek, Donkey, Fiona, and company.
This new take is a team effort, with Universal Film, DreamWorks Animation, and the visual wizards at Reel FX on board. For the tech heads: they’re keeping the regular 16:9 ratio rather than squeezing it curved like an IMAX, but the dome will be fully activated and covered in visuals the whole way through.
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Cosm’s team genuinely seems chuffed with the whole thing. Here’s how Alexis Scalice, currently VP and Head of Cosm Studios, enthused about it all:
Our first animated film, Shrek in Shared Reality, allows us to amplify the humor and irreverent charm that makes its story and characters beloved across generations. We are so proud to bring Shrek to life in this incredible way, for audiences to experience twenty-five years after its initial debut, and this newfound partnership continues to reinforce our confidence in what is truly possible for immersive entertainment.
What’s next? Yes, Shrek 5 is coming
This whole “shared reality” dome effort is dropping in advance of Shrek 5, which finally has a date: cinemas on 30 June 2027. The storyline, for those who care, drags our green anti-hero and Donkey back for another “big-city” adventure (the franchise really leaning in at this point), but this time with the three ogre kids Shrek and Fiona now have in tow.
Directing duties are split between Conrad Vernon, Walt Dohrn, and Brad Ableson, with a script from Michael McCullers and a story by Christopher Meledandri. The returning voice cast features Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz as ever, with newcomers Zendaya, Marcello Hernández, and Skyler Gisondo also in the lineup.
Tickets for the Shrek Shared Reality dome show go on sale this autumn, for anyone with a craving to experience yet another flavour of ogre nostalgia before the sequel hits several years on.
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