Shrek 2/Trivia

Cultural references
Like its predecessor, Shrek 2 also acts as somewhat of a parody film, targeting adapted children's fantasies (mainly those adapted by Disney); and like other DreamWorks animated films, also features references to American popular culture:
 * The mermaid that washes up on Shrek in the beginning of the film bears strong resemblance to Ariel from Disney's The Little Mermaid.
 * The scene where Shrek makes Fiona a wedding ring replicates the scenes from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring where the rings are forged and where the Ring "falls" onto Frodo's finger.
 * The scene where Shrek is kissed by Fiona while hung upside down in a trap with mud on his face (which Fiona wipes off like a mask) is a reference to Spider-Man.
 * The trumpeter who continues playing after the rest of the group, when Fiona is receiving an invitation from her parents to return, is playing the original Hawaii Five-O theme song.
 * Elements and landmarks in the fictional kingdom of Far Far Away bear reference to elements and landmarks of Southern California, particularly those of the Los Angeles area and Hollywood. The kingdom features a "Far Far Away" sign modeled after the famous Hollywood Sign.
 * Several parodies of well-known businesses exist in Far Far Away, such as "Farbucks", a parody of Starbucks, "Baskin Robbinhood", a parody of Baskin Robbins, "Saxxon Fifth Avenue", a parody of Saks Fifth Avenue, "Burger Prince", a parody of Burger King, "Abercrombie & Witch", a parody of Abercrombie & Fitch, "Pewtery Barn", a parody of Pottery Barn, "Armani Armoury", a parody of Armani, "Barney's Old York", a parody of Barneys New York, "Tower of London Records", a parody of Tower Records, "Versarchery", a play on the designer label Versace, and "Old Knavery", a parody of Old Navy.
 * The scene where Shrek, Fiona, and Fiona's parents furiously shout each other's names (with Donkey cheerfully calling his own name) after their dinner is ruined is a reference to The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
 * When the Fairy Godmother appears to Fiona on her balcony when she sheds a tear due to the fight at dinner, the gold dress in which she makes Fiona wear, blows upward in a reference to the Marilyn Monroe film The Seven Year Itch.
 * "Friar's Fat Boy" restaurant which King Harold, Fairy Godmother and Charming "drive-thru" references the Southern California restaurant chain, Bob's Big Boy.
 * The character Puss in Boots is based on Zorro, a character played by Antonio Banderas, who also voices Puss. His behavior references Zorro as he appeared in the 1998 film The Mask of Zorro.
 * When Puss is attacking Shrek and crawls through his shirt, he bursts out of the front, a reference to the chestburster scene from the 1979 film Alien.
 * Donkey yells out "I'm melting!" when it starts to rain, which is a reference to the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz.
 * During a scene inside the bar The Poison Apple, Puss in Boots drinks a shot of milk and says, "I hate Mondays," a reference to the catchphrase of the comic strip cat Garfield.
 * The television show Knights, shown in the third act of the film, is a reference to the crime-centered reality show Cops, with Puss's catnip substituting for marijuana and pepper millssubstituting for pepper spray.
 * When Shrek is being chased by the knights, the television announcer says Shrek is riding a "white bronco" (Donkey), a reference to when O. J. Simpson was chased in a white Ford Bronco.
 * When the fairy tale creatures rescue Shrek, Donkey and Puss, Pinocchio dives in the prison tower attached to puppet strings, a reference to Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible. The theme music can be heard in the background as well.
 * As the Muffin Man creates the giant gingerbread man, lightning flashes behind his house and Gingy shouts "It's alive!", a reference to Frankenstein.
 * Shrek calls the giant gingerbread man “Mongo,” a reference to the similarly dim-witted but incredibly strong character of the same name in Blazing Saddles.
 * When Mongo sinks into the moat in front of the castle, he says "Be good" to Gingy, referencing E.T. (Steven Spielberg, director of E.T., was a co-founder of Dreamworks).

Trivia

 * The third DreamWorks Animation film to be released in May, after Shrek and Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron.
 * Shrek is the second DreamWorks Animation film to become a franchise, after The Prince of Egypt.
 * The fifth DreamWorks Animation film of 2000s to be produced in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, after The Road to El Dorado, Chicken Run, Shrek and Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas.
 * The fourth DreamWorks Animation film of 2000s to be rated PG by the MPAA, after The Road to El Dorado, Shrek and Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas.
 * The third time that DreamWorks Animation releases two films in the same year, while the other film is Shark Tale, after 1998 and 2000.