Puss's Boots

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Lore & Background

Puss in Boots is loosely based on the title character of the fairy tale with the same name. Character designer Tom Hester provided Puss's design, which was based on cats owned by Shrek director Andrew Adamson and effects supervisor Ken Bielenberg. After Antonio Banderas had been cast as Puss's voice, the Shrek animators analyzed his performance as the title character in The Mask of Zorro (1998) for insight into Puss's depiction. Inspired by Banderas's Zorro, the filmmakers decided to make Puss's origins Spanish (instead of the fairy tale's Italian and French). Chris Miller, head of story of Shrek 2 (2004), said that the filmmakers had decided to link the character to a "weird history" in which he had been "everywhere" and done "everything". Puss repeatedly mentions "some great adventure" (without details) in the Shrek films, and Miller wanted to know more about his origins (such as where his boots came from). The Puss in Boots filmmakers knew from the beginning that something about the character "demanded [the story] just be larger than life". "Spaghetti Western style and structure" also inspired Puss's character, and the filmmakers decided to use "big screen legends" as inspiration. Miller cited Clint Eastwood as one of the "classic cinematic figures" inspiring Puss's portrayal and regarded him as "a strong force" since there was "something about Clint that was in the cat". He also cited Indiana Jones's "adventurous spirit", James Bond and Errol Flynn.

In Their Own Story

After realizing at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival how much viewers enjoyed Puss's character, Jeffrey Katzenberg, co-founder of DreamWorks Animation, began considering "the idea of possibly continuing with the character in the Shrek series" and creating a film with Puss as the protagonist. Katzenberg called Puss a "scene stealer" and said he "seemed to beg for his own film" after his first appearance in the Shrek franchise. The filmmakers decided to give Puss "a heavy story" in Puss in Boots; they felt that breaking his heart would be "really important", and they wanted to offer him "something to redeem himself from and clear his name". They debated whether Puss would be portrayed as a misunderstood fugitive. Miller said that although Puss could have been depicted as deceptive, the filmmakers had decided to portray him as blameworthy; robbing the bank was not Puss's plan and he ran away "out of fear", but he had to take responsibility for his actions. Miller stated that Puss's "desire to believe the best in someone else" and to "hang on to a friendship" represent "the kind of things that get him in trouble". Puss's backstory was meant to indicate the "heaviness on his mind and in his heart", and why he was on the run despite his "cool life". Miller stated that "the heavy dramatic themes" fit Puss's character well, making the character's journey a "story of redemption" in which "he sort of walks a dark path with a hole punched in his heart" and wishes "to clear away the sins of his past" and "reclaim what was his". Puss in Boots executive producer Guillermo del Toro said that Puss would be taken "to a completely different land which is very exotic" in the then future adventure film Puss in Boots: The Last Wish since Miller wanted the film to be set in a visually different universe than Shrek's.

Reader's Guide

Antonio Banderas voices Puss in the English, Spanish, and Italian dubs of the Shrek franchise. While he initially tried a high-pitched voice for the character, he and the Shrek 2 filmmakers decided on a tone that was deeper than his normal voice. Banderas said that voicing Puss was an important part of his career. Eric Bauza is the voice of Puss in Boots in the non-canon spin-off, The Adventures of Puss in Boots. Robert Patrick, Harrison Ford, Sylvester Stallone, David Krumholtz, Dennis Quaid, and Todd Stashwick were considered for the role of Puss before Antonio Banderas was cast. Banderas said that his initial motivation to voice Puss was that he enjoyed the first Shrek film. According to the actor, he was chosen for the role of Puss because of his Spanish accent. According to Banderas, he was on Broadway for the musical Nine when Jeffrey Katzenberg approached him about taking the role. The Shrek 2 filmmakers showed him "a lot of paintings of the character", and he realized how "little" Puss was. Banderas said that he had developed a strategy for playing Puss after accepting the role, which had determined Puss's personality. Doug Langdale, executive producer of The Adventures of Puss in Boots (2015–2018), said that in the series Puss fights "a lot more" compared to the films; he is depicted "more as a master swordsman with lots of extra punching, kicking and action". Langdale stated that he "wanted to set the show earlier in Puss's life, back when he was the only one who thought he was a legend ... had more to prove, and maybe [was not] quite so awesome at everything yet", which determined that the series would be set before the film Puss in Boots.

Did You Know?

• Puss's design was based on cats owned by Shrek director Andrew Adamson and effects supervisor Ken Bielenberg.
• Antonio Banderas was on Broadway for the musical Nine when Jeffrey Katzenberg approached him about voicing Puss.
• Robert Patrick, Harrison Ford, Sylvester Stallone, David Krumholtz, Dennis Quaid, and Todd Stashwick were all considered for the role before Banderas was cast.
• The Shrek animators analyzed Banderas's performance as Zorro in The Mask of Zorro (1998) for insight into Puss's depiction.
• The non-canon Netflix series The Adventures of Puss in Boots is set before the events of the 2011 film Puss in Boots.