The beloved feline swashbuckler may soon unsheathe his sword again. While DreamWorks has yet to make an official announcement, the directors behind the Oscar-nominated sequel have just dropped the strongest hint yet about Puss in Boots 3.

Puss in Boots 3 may already be stirring at DreamWorks, director teases

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish co-director Januel Mercado addressed mounting speculation around a part 3. Mercado teased to The Direct that he is “sure there’s things stirring in development,” adding, “He’s such a beloved character, and that last movie really invigorated the franchise.”

The numbers back him up. The Last Wish grossed $480 million worldwide on a $110 million budget, a runaway financial success. Critics and audiences embraced the film with equal fervor, as it holds a 95% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 94% audience score, while its 7.9/10 IMDb rating ties the original Shrek for the highest in the entire franchise.

Additionally, co-director Joel Crawford confirmed that creative conversations on Puss in Boots 3 have already begun. “Oh, definitely,” Crawford said when asked if ideas exist for where Puss could go next, noting the team does not want to limit the focus solely to Antonio Banderas’ title character.

Both filmmakers expressed enthusiasm for revisiting supporting players introduced in The Last Wish. Like including Harvey Guillén’s Perrito, Wagner Moura’s Wolf, and Florence Pugh’s Goldilocks alongside the Three Bears. “This rich cast of characters, we’re always interested in exploring,” Mercado said. Furthermore, Crawford revealed that their creative instinct is to expand the canvas. “For us, we’re like, we always write bigger,” he teased, suggesting any follow-up would aim to surpass its predecessor in scope.

The timing aligns with the broader Shrek universe’s resurgence. Banderas has publicly stated he will not appear in Shrek 5, of which Universal Pictures gave a sneak peek with a first trailer on June 16. That film, reuniting Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, and Eddie Murphy alongside franchise newcomer Zendaya as Felicia, is releasing on June 30, 2027.

All in all, Banderas’ absence from Far Far Away’s next chapter makes a standalone Puss in Boots 3 the natural vehicle for his return.