The fairy godmother Dama Fortuna was originally created for the first Shrek but was cut out and now featured in this sequel.
The Wolf is found reading a magazine named Pork Illustrated with the front page featuring an image of a posed pig with in a bikini. This is a spoof of the swimsuit issue of the magazine Sports Illustrated.
In the film's trailers, the wolf is reading "The New Porker".
While Larry King lent his voice to episodes of "Simpsons, The" (1989), this was the first time that he voiced a character other than himself in an animated movie or television series.
Puss-in-Boots, an orange tabby, says, "I hate Mondays." A clear reference to Garfield the Cat, a fat orange tabby, who also constantly says "I hate Mondays."
The gigantic Gingerbread Man that storms the castle of Far Far Away, is a reference to the "Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man" from Ghost Busters (1984).
The Fairy Godmother says, "What in Grimm's name..." - a reference to the Brothers Grimm who published collections of many fairy tales such as the ones used in the movie.
In the scene where Shrek and Fiona argue, there is a "Stonehenge" poster in the background which shows the members of Spinal Tap wearing medieval garb.
The potion the fairy godmother gives to the King to make Fiona fall in love with the first man she kisses is labeled "IX", making the bottle "Love Potion Number 9".
The giant cookie's name is "Mongo", a reference to the movie Blazing Saddles (1974) where the giant's name was also Mongo.
The entrance to Far Far Away closely resembles the entrance to the Paramount Studios lot.
When Shrek, Fiona and Donkey first enter Far Far Away, the camera pans over a distinctive Far Far Away sign at street level (as opposed to the huge one in the hills that resembles the "Hollywood" sign). The street-level sign is an obvious parody of the official "Beverly Hills" sign that welcomes visitors as they enter the city via certain boulevards. The sign is also used as the official city logo.
There are some other spoofs of famous signs and stores in the background of Far Far Away:
Burger Prince (Burger King)
Olde Knavery (Old Navy)
Far Far Away sign (Hollywood sign)
Saxon Fifth Avenue (Saks Fifth Avenue)
Romeo Drive (Rodeo Drive)
Versarchery (Versace)
Gap Queen (Gap Kids)
Farbucks Coffee (Starbucks)
Friar's Fat Boy (Big Boy)
Tower of London Records (Tower Records).
Baskin Robinhood (Baskin Robins ice cream)
Scored the biggest opening ever for an animated film, topping Finding Nemo (2003)'s $70.2 million opening
Became the highest-grossing animated film of all-time in just 25 days. As of Saturday, 12 June 2004, it had grossed $346.5 million in the USA, surpassing previous (and only one-year-old) champion Finding Nemo (2003)'s $339.8 million. Lion King, The (1994) had held the animated box office record for 9 years before Nemo was released in May, 2003.
In the pre-ball red carpet scene, the announcer says that "the abs are fab", a reference to the television series "Absolutely Fabulous" (1992) (often called Ab Fab) of which Jennifer Saunders, who plays Dama Fortuna, wrote and starred in.
As donkey passes out he says, "I'm Coming Elizabeth," a reference to Fred Sanford from the sitcom "Sanford and Son" (1972)
Antonio Banderas as "Puss In Boots" uses his sword to write a "P" on a tree with three strokes. He also played "Zorro" in Mask of Zorro, The (1998), who is known for using his sword to write "Z" with three strokes.
The fireworks over the castle during the final scene resemble the fireworks over the Magic Kingdom castle in the opening titles of "Disneyland" (1954).
In the tavern "The Poison Apple", the man with the hook playing the piano is voiced by Tom Waits (singing 'Little Drop of Poison') and then again by Nick Cave (singing 'People Ain't No Good').
The Giant Gingerbread Man's last words "Be good" are a reference to E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982).
The Gingerbread Man's legs have been re-attached with little bands of frosting.
When Shrek and Fiona arrive in Far Far Away, they pass a movie theater playing Lethal Arrow 4.
In the opening "Honeymoon Montage" when Fiona wipes the mud off of Shrek while he hangs upside down and kisses him is in reference to Spider-Man (2002) when Mary Jane kisses Spiderman in the same manner.
In the fight scene with Shrek, Puss in Boots tears out from the chest of Shrek's clothing, in reference to the alien bursting out of Kane's chest in Alien (1979)
During the dinner scene with Shrek, Fiona, donkey, and the king and queen, the queen remarks "Not that there's anything wrong with that," a "Seinfeld" (1990) reference.
In the Honeymoon Montage at the beginning of the film, the couple is seen being fitted for wedding rings, a flying ring dropping on Fiona's finger and sporting a red fiery writing afterwards. These are a parody of events from Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Puss in Boots reaching back to grab his hat just before the trap door falls is a reference to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984).
Various characters from other movies and stories show up in the background all through-out the movie:
Captain Hook is the piano player in "The Poison Apple" hangout
Two of the guests in The Poison Apple are the talking trees from "Babes in Toyland"
During chase sequence in the Fairy Godmother's factory, among the furniture flying around the room are Lumiere (the candelabra) and Cogsworth (the clock) from Disney's "Beauty And The Beast"
During the opening scenes after an ocean wave covers Shrek and Fiona, Ariel from Disney's "The Little Mermaid" ends up kissing Shrek instead of Fiona, who then comes up and flings Ariel out to sea, where sharks attack her
Hansel (of the story Hansel and Gretel), is shown to be the owner of "Hansel's Honeymoon Hideaway, the honeymoon cottage Shrek and Fiona stat at. It too, is made out of cookies and candy (just like the witch's house in the story)
Little Red Riding Hood knocks on the door at the honeymoon cottage, and when Shrek and Fiona open the door, she screams and runs away, leaving her basket
One of the fairies Shrek captures in a jar at the mud sauna is Tinkerbell, Peter Pan's little sidekick
When the huge pot of potion is tipped over in the Fairy Godmother's factory, the swans in the cage turn into two maidens, a reference to "Swan Lake".
During the honeymoon montage, when Shrek and Fiona are kissing on the beach (a reference to the movie From Here to Eternity (1953)).
In the police montage, the camera following a "white bronco", is a direct reference to the infamous 1994 California highway chase where cops were chasing O.J. Simpson in a white Ford Bronco. The montage's camerawork and overall appearance resembles the appearance of the television show "Cops" (1989).
During the dinner scene with the Queen, King, Fiona, Shrek, and Donkey at the table go through each other's names twice, ending with Donkey smiling and referring to himself. This is a reference to Rocky Horror Picture Show, The (1975) where the characters go through each others' names in a chaotic roundabout.
At the end of the movie, Puss-in-Boots says he is going to the "Kit-Kat Klub", which was the name of the club in Cabaret (1972).
The sign for The Poison Apple is shown in exactly the same manner as the sign of The Prancing Pony from Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001) .
When Pinocchio is lowered by his puppet strings into the cell where Shrek, Donkey, and Puss in Boots are being held, the background music is the theme from Mission: Impossible (1996). (The referenced scene from Mission Impossible itself was lifted from Topkapi (1964).)
When Puss in Boots dances at the party, he sits back in a lounge chair, pulls a string, and douses himself with water - a reference to Flashdance (1983)
Near the end, Fiona says that decides that she wants the ogre she fell in love with. Puss in Boots says, "They'll never make me cry." Jane Fonda says the same line in Cat Ballou (1965).
When the King of Far Far Away (John Cleese) excuses himself to go speak to the Fairy Godmother, he refers to his old injury from the crusades acting up. This is a reference to Basil Fawlty's (also Cleese) "old war wound" acting up as an excuse for his actions in the series "Fawlty Towers" (1975).
Some of the signs up in "The Poison Apple" are: "Unhappy Hour 5-7", "No one under XXI admitted", "We reserve the right to BEHEAD anyone", and "NO SKIN NO BONES NO SERVICE".
In the opening sequence, Fiona uses two fighting moves from the Street Fighter video game series to take out the attacking mob: Chun Li's Whirlwind Kick (handstand and spins around) and Ryu's Dragon Punch (spins upward with fist above head).
The palace where Donkey, Shrek, and Puss are held prisoner is Jabba the Hutt's palace from Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983).
This is the second film series starring 'Mike Myers (I)' in which the sequel grossed more in its first two weeks of release than the original did its entire box office run. The first was Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999), which grossed more its opening weekend than the first Austin Powers did altogether.
When Fiona meets the Fairy Godmother and she is singing a song about how to make everything happily ever after, Fairy Godmother uses her wand to make Fiona's dress go up, similar to the famous Marilyn Monroe pose from Seven Year Itch, The (1955)
When Shrek and Donkey defeat Puss in Boots, Donkey suggests that they give him the Bob Barker treatment. At the end of "Price Is Right, The" (1972), Bob (who hosts) always closes the show by saying, "Help control the pet population, have your pets spayed or neutered."
Fiona has a pinup of "Sir Justin" on her bed, a reference to Justin Timberlake.
When Mongo throws the flaming gumdrop button at the catapaulters, they're heard to scream "Run away, run away" - a reference to Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
When Shrek, Donkey and Puss come across the Fairy Godmother's factory, Donkey calls it, "The Old Keebler Place," a reference to the Keebler Elves.
When Shrek awakens in the barn surrounded by women, one of the women tells him she fetched him a pail of water. The woman is later referred to by the others as "Jill", as in Jack and Jill.
As Shrek, Fiona and Donkey enter the town of Far Far Away, Shrek utters "We are definitely not at the swamp anymore", a reference to Dorothy's "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore" line in Wizard of Oz, The (1939).
The Fairy Godmother billboard is a parody of the famous Hollywood signs of model, Angelyne.
In the UK version, the voices of 'Larry King' and Joan Rivers have been replaced by home-grown TV presenters 'Jonathan Ross' and Kate Thornton, though King and Rivers are still credited.
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