UNITED KINGDOM: "Shrek The Third" London premiere with Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Antonio Banderas and Mike Myers

Record ID: 219612

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: "Shrek The Third" London premiere with Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Antonio Banderas and Mike Myers
  • Date: 14th June 2007
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR ANTONIO BANDERAS SAYING: "We are just so tired. We have been all around the world promoting Shrek which is a pleasure, too, but we don't sleep. Literally, we don't sleep, we have the hours changed. I woke up at three o'clock. So I have a sensation of irreality going on in my head."
  • Embargoed: 29th June 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVA2Y1MKVI2MEWK8XJ9HHB2VYE8Q
  • Story Text: Huge global promotional tours seem to be the new norm for the stars of this summer's big blockbusters as studios fight for box office gold in the "summer of sequels".
    And the latest "Shrek" animation is proving to be no exception, with the film's starry cast following in the footsteps of Spider-Man and Captain Jack Sparrow, hitting the red carpets in Los Angeles, Tokyo, Paris and Berlin to promote the third instalment in the successful series. On Monday (June 11) it was London's turn to get the Shrek treatment.
    Actor Antonio Banderas, who reprises his role as Puss in Boots in the film, admitting the globetrotting was catching up on him.
    "We are just so tired. We have been all around the world promoting Shrek which is a pleasure, too, but we don't sleep. Literally, we don't sleep, we have the hours changed. I woke up at three o'clock. So I have a sensation of irreality going on in my head," Banderas told Reuters on the green carpet.
    While Banderas might have struggled to keep his eyes open, his co-star Cameron Diaz was all smiles as she greeted fans and spoke to reporters.
    "This movie keeps me going. We are having so much fun. It really is, I can't explain, it's like, just being able to talk about it as much as I've had to, which usually, about this time I just like want to kill myself. But people just love this film and it means so much to them and it is such a pleasure to actually come and deliver it to them," Diaz said.
    Diaz's smile did not fade despite being bombarded with questions about former boyfriend, singer and actor Justin Timberlake, who in the film plays Fiona's cousin Arthur. The two shared a friendly hug and a kiss on the cheek on the green carpet in front of the watchful eyes of the world's press.
    Diaz also teased a reporter who in his piece to camera mentioned that the former couple were standing close to each other on press line-up.
    "Oh my God, are you kidding me? Oh my God, where? Are you kidding me? Seriously, this is the drama, oh my God!" she joked.
    But when it came to talking about a recent incident which saw illusionist Criss Angel publicly declare his love for Diaz, the actress kept mum.
    "Well, you know, as much as I love talking about my private life, I'm just going to stick to Shrek at the moment," she said laughing.
    Meanwhile Timberlake admitted to feeling overwhelmed about the reception the cast got from the fans crowding London's Leicester Square.
    "It's alright, it's not bad, I can tell you that. Yeah, being a part of something like this, I've never even been to a premiere this big, much less because I was in the movie so this is a bit surreal, this is really cool," he said.
    The third instalment of the extraordinarily profitable animated franchise catches up with Shrek (Mike Myers) as he and Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) are facing a royal crisis: Fiona's father King Harold (John Cleese) dies suddenly, and a successor must be found.
    Shrek wants nothing to do with running affairs of state, so they embark upon a quest to track down Arthur, a rebellious royal relative (Justin Timberlake).
    Familiar friends Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) reprise their roles, and a predictable level of chaos ensues when Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) attempts to engineer a coup.
    Reaffirmed by the success of "Shrek the Third," producer Jeffrey Katzenberg said the tale of the green ogre who married a princess will continue.
    Katzenberg announced there will be a half-hour animated TV special, 'Shrek the Halls,' featuring the Shrek characters during the Christmas season.
    The producer also suggested the franchise would not stop at the fourth film.
    "Everybody has known that there are five chapters to this story and I think there have been, pretty much from the beginning. So, you know, with chapter three finished, we are onto chapter four," he said, adding: "Four and then five. And then Puss in Boots."
    And with "Shrek the Third" having already taken the U.S. record for the biggest animated film opening in the box office history, Katzenberg has every reason to be positive.
    The original Shrek made 267 million (U.S. dollars) in North America alone, while the second film raised the bar to 441 million.
    "Shrek the Third" opened in the United States on May 18 and will be released globally during the summer, with the UK release falling on June 29.
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