Antonio Banderas returns once again as the voice of the titular feline in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. The upcoming animated film is a sequel to the 2011 Puss in Boots that focused on Puss's adventures and mishaps from childhood as an abandoned kitty alongside Humpty Alexander Dumpty.
The fighter lead cat made his debut in Shrek 2 (2004). He then became a regular cast in the rest of the Shrek sequels; Shrek the Third (2007) and Shrek Forever After (2010).
After the conclusion of the Shrek franchise, Puss in Boots got its spinoff movie in 2011, which was a sensation, earning a 6.6/10 score on IMDb, 86% on Rotten Tomatoes and an audience likeability of 79%.
In the follow-up, the protagonist cat discovers that his thirst for adventure has cost him eight of his nine lives. He goes on a quest with his mate Kitty Softpaws to find the mythical Last Wish that'll restore all his lives.
Salma Hayek returns as the voice of Kitty Softpaws with new additions including Florence Pugh as Goldilocks, Olivia Colman as Mama Bear, Harvey Guillen as Perro, John Mulaney as Jack Horner, Ray Winstone as Papa Bear, Samson Kayo as Baby Bear, Wagner Moura as Big Bad Wolf and Da’Vine Joy Randolph as Mama Luna.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish already has rave reviews ahead of its theatrical debut, scoring 91% on Rotten Tomatoes with a higher audience score of 98% and 95% on Google Ratings.
75% of top critics regard the film highly, praising Antonio Banderas' velvety voice, its amusing storyline and the deftness with which it introduces life lessons to its young audience.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish will be released on December 21 2022 in U.S. theaters, distributed by Dreamworks Animation.
Check out the trailer below.