In the whimsical world of animated escapades, where fairy-tale felines duel with derring-do and death itself, few characters have captured hearts quite like Puss in Boots. The suave, sword-wielding tabby, first slinking onto screens in 2004’s Shrek 2, has evolved from sidekick to superstar, his adventures blending swashbuckling spectacle with surprising depth. Now, on November 20, 2025, industry insider Daniel Richtman (known online as @DanielRPK) has unleashed a purr-fect bombshell: DreamWorks Animation is quietly developing Puss in Boots 3, with original voice maestro Antonio Banderas poised to reprise his iconic role. This isn’t a fleeting whisker twitch; it’s a full-fledged sequel in the works, building on the triumphant tailwind of 2022’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, which clawed its way to $481 million at the box office and critical acclaim that could make even the Big Bad Wolf howl in envy. As fan theories swirl like catnip in a cyclone and Banderas’ silky Spanish lilt echoes in eager imaginations, the third installment promises to sharpen the franchise’s claws further—exploring mortality’s meow, multigenerational mischief, and perhaps even a crossover with those ogreish origins. The milk’s been spilled; now, the question is: how many lives does this legend have left to live?

Puss in Boots’ journey began not with a solo spotlight but as a charismatic cameo in the sprawling Shrek universe, DreamWorks’ cheeky riff on fairy tales that redefined animated comedy. Voiced by Banderas with a Zorro-esque flair—complete with fluttering cape, twinkling eyes, and a penchant for dramatic flourishes—the feline outlaw debuted in Shrek 2, charming audiences with his plea for mercy: “I can hold these for you, my friends.” That single scene, a masterclass in comic timing and seductive swagger, stole the show, spawning memes, merchandise, and an inevitable spin-off. By 2011, Puss in Boots hit theaters, a prequel delving into the cat’s roguish youth: teaming with childhood chum Humpty Dumpty (Zach Galifianakis) and flame Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek) to snag the golden goose, all while evading dim-witted outlaws Jack and Jill (Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris). Directed by Chris Miller with Guillermo del Toro as producer, the film blended high-seas hijinks and heartfelt betrayal, grossing $555 million worldwide and earning a Golden Globe nod for Best Animated Feature. Critics purred over its visual verve—those lush, storybook vistas rendered in DreamWorks’ MoonRay tech—and Banderas’ tour de force, his accent infusing Puss with a Latin fire that elevated him beyond mere mascot.

The franchise’s gestation was anything but swift. Early teases for a sequel surfaced in 2012, with del Toro floating an “exotic locale” adventure, but corporate upheavals stalled the paws. DreamWorks’ 2016 acquisition by Universal Pictures reshuffled priorities, pushing Puss in Boots 2 off the slate amid a pivot to safer bets like The Croods sequels. Banderas, ever the optimist, kept the flame alive in shorts and Shrek holiday specials, but fans clamored for more—petitions circulated, cosplay conventions buzzed with boot-clad hopefuls, and Reddit threads dissected unmade scripts like ancient scrolls. Enter 2022’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, a resurrection that felt like nine lives reclaimed. Directed by Joel Crawford (of The Croods: A New Age fame) and co-directed by Januel Mercado, the film flipped the script: no longer the invincible charmer, Puss confronts his mortality after squandering eight lives on bravado and bar fights. Hunted by the spectral Wolf (Wagner Moura, chilling as Death incarnate), he embarks on a quest for the Wishing Star, allying with a wary Kitty and the optimistic Perrito (Harvey Guillén, stealing scenes as the “therapy dog” with a heart of gold).

What elevated The Last Wish from solid sequel to animated artistry was its unapologetic embrace of vulnerability—a theme that resonated post-pandemic, as audiences grappled with their own “last chances.” Puss’ arc, penned by Paul Fisher and Tommy Swerdlow, wove meta-fairy-tale flair with emotional gut-punches: dream sequences flashing his reckless past, a barroom brawl where he dances with destiny, and a finale showdown that’s equal parts swordfight and soul-search. The voice cast was a velvet dagger: Banderas layered Puss with newfound gravitas, his “Fearless Hero” ballad a showstopper; Hayek’s Kitty purred with equal parts fire and forgiveness; and newcomers like Olivia Colman (as the enigmatic Goldilocks) and Florence Pugh (as the bearish sibling) added bite to the Three Bears crime family. Visually, it was a feast—Heitor Pereira’s score blending flamenco flourishes with orchestral swells, while the “non-photorealistic” style evoked illuminated manuscripts come alive. Box-office wise, it clawed to $481 million on a $90 million budget, buoyed by word-of-mouth and a 95% Rotten Tomatoes score. “It’s the Logan of cat movies,” one critic quipped, capturing its blend of whimsy and wistfulness.

Richtman’s revelation, dropped via his Patreon and amplified across X and Instagram, has the internet arching its back in delight. “A new ‘PUSS IN BOOTS’ movie is reportedly in the works at DreamWorks,” he posted, sparking a cascade of reactions: fan art flooding DeviantArt with Puss facing eldritch foes, TikTok duets syncing Banderas’ purr to hype anthems, and Reddit’s r/DreamWorks subreddit exploding with speculation threads (“Wolf returns? Shrek cameo?”). By midday November 20, #PussInBoots3 trended globally, with 1.2 million mentions—eclipsing even Shrek 5 whispers. Banderas, 65 and fresh off Broadway’s Network and a Malibu art exhibit, hasn’t commented directly, but his history with the role speaks volumes. In a 2023 Hollywood Reporter op-ed, he reflected on Puss as a “redefinition of heroism”: not the invincible icon, but a flawed feline embracing fear, a mirror to his own post-heart-attack epiphany in 2017. “Puss taught me to live fully, one life at a time,” he wrote, hinting at untapped depths for a third outing.

Details on Puss in Boots 3 remain as shrouded as a midnight prowl, but the tea leaves swirl suggestively. Early development, per Richtman, points to a 2028 release, aligning with DreamWorks’ post-Shrek 5 (slated for 2026) pipeline. Crawford is rumored to direct again, his eye for emotional beats ensuring the sequel builds on The Last Wish‘s introspection. Story teases? Fans posit a multiversal mishap via the Wishing Star’s fallout, stranding Puss in fractured fairy realms—perhaps clashing with a cyber-punk Pinocchio or a steampunk Sleeping Beauty. Or, leaning into legacy, an elder Puss mentoring a kitten protégé, exploring fatherhood’s fumbles amid a heist for the Philosopher’s Stone. Banderas is a lock, with Hayek circling back as Kitty—now a power couple navigating midlife meows—and Guillén’s Perrito evolving from comic relief to co-lead. New voices? Whispers of Pedro Pascal as a suave sidekick or Anya Taylor-Joy as a villainous vixen add spice. Budget projections hover at $120 million, with Universal eyeing IMAX spectacles: zero-gravity duels atop enchanted zeppelins, a chase through a labyrinth of living tattoos.

DreamWorks’ animation renaissance provides fertile ground for this feline flourish. Post-Trolls and Kung Fu Panda reboots, the studio—under Illumination’s Jeff Sagansky—has leaned into IP revivals, with The Last Wish‘s Oscar nods (Best Animated Feature, Song) proving Puss’ pedigree. “We’re in the business of beloved worlds,” a studio exec told Variety in October 2025, amid Madagascar 4‘s greenlight. The timing feels fortuitous: as Pixar grapples with originality droughts and Illumination churns Minions, DreamWorks’ blend of heart and hijinks carves a niche. For Banderas, it’s poetic—his career, from The Mask of Zorro to Pain and Glory, has mirrored Puss’ arc: bravado masking vulnerability, triumphs tempered by trials. “Voicing him is therapy,” he quipped in a 2022 Forbes chat, post-Last Wish premiere. At 65, with a theater revival of Company under his belt, Banderas brings seasoned soul to a character who’s outlived expectations.

Fan fervor has been feline frenzy: X threads debate “Wolf redemption arc?” (Moura’s hooded menace begs an encore), while Instagram Reels remix Puss’ “¡Hola!” with EDM drops. Skeptics mew about sequel fatigue—”Last Wish ended perfectly”—but the consensus? Paws-itive. One viral TikTok, a mock trailer with Puss quipping, “Nine lives? Mi amigo, I’ve got reboots,” racked 5 million views. Educational tie-ins loom too: Last Wish‘s themes of mental health sparked school programs on resilience, a lane Puss 3 could pounce on amid rising youth anxiety stats.

As development dawns, Puss in Boots 3 stands as a testament to timeless tales’ tenacity. In a landscape of live-action remakes and AI-assisted animation, DreamWorks doubles down on handcrafted heart—Puss’ exaggerated expressions, those fluid fencing flourishes, the subtle sway of his feathered hat. Banderas’ return isn’t mere nostalgia; it’s a bridge from Shrek‘s satire to modern maturity, proving legends don’t retire—they reinvent. Whether chasing cosmic cats or confronting inner demons, this third adventure promises to sharpen the saga’s edge. The cat’s out of the bag: Puss is prowling back, boots polished and blade gleaming. Fans, sharpen your claws— the wish is granted, and the whisker-twisting wonder awaits.