William Steig Published 'Shrek!' in 1990 After Editor Initially Rejected the Ogre Tale
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 17
William Steig Published 'Shrek!' in 1990 After Editor Initially Rejected the Ogre Tale
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 17
Michael di Capua, now 87, said he initially urged William Steig to shelve “Shrek!” after seeing 1988 sketches of an ogre so grotesque he viewed the project as an aberration.
A brief creative dry spell led Steig to return to the manuscript, and di Capua eventually relented, allowing the finished book to reach shelves in fall 1990.
Steig had been known for sweet-natured children’s books, making the foul, pinheaded, pimply-faced Shrek a sharp break from the tone that had defined his earlier work.
The book’s publication introduced a character whose opening description — uglier than both parents combined — would later grow into a global franchise, though Steig never saw the meme era around it.
How many potential blockbusters like 'Shrek!' were initially rejected by publishers as being too 'horrifying' for audiences?
As 'Shrek 5' approaches in 2027, will the franchise dare to embrace its darker, fire-breathing book origins?
Was the publisher's initial horror justified, since the film's success came from drastically changing the book's hero?