Fresh from a triumphant screening at the Cannes Film Festival, Shrek 2 will open wide on Wednesday and will likely put a damper on Troy and Van Helsing, the first two summer blockbusters to open this year.  The original Shrek was the surprise hit of 2001, amassing the amazing total of $262 million at the domestic box office.  With its wisecracking duo (vocalized by Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy), the Shrek franchise offers plenty of satire for adults and teens, while it delivering a solid fantasy storyline that even young children can enjoy.  By opening on Wednesday (a strategy Spider-Man 2 is also adopting) Shrek 2 is certain to have accumulated a mega-box office total by the time the weekend figures are announced on Sunday.  Shrek 2 turned out so well, and tested so well with audiences that Dreamworks ok'd the production of Shrek 3 some four months ago (see 'Dreamworks Greenlights Animated Sequels').

Scholastic has a number of Shrek 2 books and Hasbro has an extensive line of Shrek 2 toys including action figures as well as talking plush figures (which capture the wisecracking essence of the property), but the Hasbro items will be all over the mass market.  Pop culture retailers who don't want to compete with the mass merchants should consider Comic Images Shrek 2 trading cards and bobbing head dolls (see 'Shrek 2 From Comic Images').