Puss in Boots: The Last Wish: Flop, Streaming & Sequel News

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish defied expectations—earning $484 million worldwide, Oscar nominations, and critical acclaim that made its “flop” rumors vanish. DreamWorks’ 2022 sequel is streaming on Peacock, with no sequel officially announced yet.

Release Year: 2022 · Director: Joel Crawford · Writers: Paul Fisher, Tommy Swerdlow · Studio: DreamWorks Animation · Voice of Puss: Antonio Banderas

The table below consolidates core film details from multiple sources.

Did Puss in Boots: The Last Wish flop?

The short answer: no, not even close. The longer answer requires unpacking some confusing early chatter. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish grossed $484 million worldwide against a $90–110 million production budget, ranking tenth among all films released in 2022—making it the highest-grossing Shrek franchise entry since the original series peaked. The Shrek franchise (Wikipedia) reports total global box office of $3.5 billion including spin-offs, and this film more than held its own within that legacy.

Box office performance

Numbers tell a clear story. US theatrical gross hit $185.5 million (Rotten Tomatoes box office data), while the film earned its $484 million worldwide total through a combination of domestic and international receipts that surprised even industry analysts who had braced for streaming-era drag on theatrical releases. The original release window was announced as September 23, 2022, per Entertainment.ie movie announcement, before DreamWorks shifted to the December 21 holiday frame—which turned out to be the right call as family audiences filled seats during the Christmas season.

Critical reception

Critics embraced the film enthusiastically. Rotten Tomatoes aggregates a strong critic consensus alongside an audience score that reflects widespread viewer satisfaction. Beyond the review aggregator numbers, the film landed nominations for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars, Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice Awards, and BAFTA—a rare sweep for a non-Disney animated release.

The implication: DreamWorks took a calculated risk reviving a dormant character for a holiday release, and both audiences and awards voters rewarded that bet.

Is there a Puss in Boots 3 coming?

As of the latest publicly available information, no sequel to Puss in Boots: The Last Wish has been officially announced. This may disappoint fans who’ve been tracking franchise rumors, especially given the critical and commercial vindication the 2022 film received. Wikipedia confirms no announced sequel.

Development reports

The DreamWorks camp has reportedly signaled openness to future installments, though official announcements remain absent from the studio’s public communications. Industry outlets tracking franchise developments have not confirmed any active greenlight for a third Puss in Boots film.

Puss in Boots 4 status

Beyond Puss in Boots 3, the possibility of further franchise expansion remains speculative. No announcements cover a fourth installment, and the studio has not publicized any story development or casting updates beyond what’s been released.

Where can I watch Puss in Boots: The Last Wish at home?

For US viewers, Peacock is home base. The film landed on the NBCUniversal streaming service after its theatrical window closed, following the staggered release schedule that governs most major studio releases. Here’s where things currently stand.

Streaming platforms

As of May 2024, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish returned to Peacock for its final exclusivity window under the 18-month distribution deal that sent the film to Peacock (4 months), then Netflix (10 months), then back to Peacock (4 months). The official DreamWorks site confirms current streaming availability on Peacock, with the Peacock blog noting the March 10, 2023 exclusive streaming debut.

Netflix availability

The film hit Netflix starting July 13, 2023 for its 10-month window, per Wikipedia streaming timeline. That window has since closed for US subscribers. Some international territories may still carry the title through Netflix agreements with Universal.

Purchase options

If streaming isn’t your preference—or if you’re outside the Peacock window—a range of purchase options exists. JustWatch tracks current availability across major platforms, including Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, and Fandango At Home, with the film available both to rent and to buy/download. Fandango at Home Free offers the film with ads at no cost.

Is Puss in Boots inappropriate?

Parents want to know what’s actually inside this film before handing the remote to younger viewers. Here’s the honest breakdown.

Age rating details

The Motion Picture Association rated Puss in Boots: The Last Wish PG, and Rotten Tomatoes classifies it under Kids & Family, Comedy, Adventure, and Animation genres. That’s standard family-film territory—but the “P” in PG covers a range, and this film’s thematic core pushes closer to the edge than typical Shrek fare.

Content warnings

The film’s central premise involves Puss facing death—literally. He has one life left, and a menacing Wolf figure (who literally represents Death) stalks him throughout. The action sequences include sword fighting, explosions, and moments of genuine peril that may unsettle very young viewers. Some crude humor and mild language crop up as expected from DreamWorks’ comedy style.

Parental guidance

General consensus among family-oriented review platforms: the film is appropriate for children ages 6 and up, with younger children potentially benefiting from a parent preview first due to the Wolf antagonist’s intensity. The bottom line mirrors what TV Guide family review summarizes: a swashbuckling adventure that earns its PG through action and mild peril rather than inappropriate content.

Who are the villains in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish?

The film’s villain roster ranks among its strongest elements, headlined by a character who’s become iconic since release.

The Wolf

Wagner Moura voices the Wolf, a spectral, cloaked figure with glowing red eyes who pursues Puss directly—he’s a living representation of Death, and his presence gives the film its surprising emotional weight. This antagonist is the reason the film carries its PG rating; he poses a genuine threat that audiences take seriously.

Jack Horner

Big Jack Horner serves as the film’s primary human villain—a twisted, power-hungry fairy tale gangster willing to destroy anything in his path to claim the Wishing Star. John Mulaney voices this memorable antagonist, whose presence provides dark comic relief alongside genuine menace.

Goldilocks

Goldilocks functions as a morally ambiguous anti-hero rather than a straightforward villain. She leads a trio of bears with their own agenda, operating outside traditional good-versus-evil categories and complicating the film’s moral landscape in ways that reward attentive viewers.

The catch: the Wolf overshadows every other antagonist. He’s the character audiences remember, the one who elevates the film beyond standard animated adventure, and the reason the villain section of any Last Wish discussion starts and ends with him.

“The new movie starring Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek Pinault is streaming March 10 exclusively on Peacock.”

— Peacock Blog (Official Streaming Service)

“The cat’s out of the bag — and has landed on Peacock.”

— SYFY Wire (Entertainment Reporter)

For American families, the streaming calculus is straightforward: Peacock is the exclusive home for the foreseeable future, and no amount of searching Disney+ or HBO Max will turn up the film there. International viewers in markets like the UK may find Netflix access, though Universal’s territorial licensing means availability varies. Digital purchase offers the most flexibility for viewers without Peacock subscriptions, typically ranging from $3.99 to rent up to $19.99 for HD ownership.

Antonio Banderas returns to form with his most nuanced voice performance in years, but DreamWorks has not confirmed a follow-up despite the film’s commercial and critical vindication.