William Steig's 1990 children's book about a repulsive ogre seemed like an unlikely candidate for multimedia stardom. His editor Michael di Capua initially rejected the dark fairy tale, calling it an aberration. The story followed Shrek as he leaves his swamp, meets a donkey, and courts an ugly princess. Published in 1990, the book earned favorable reviews but modest sales.

DreamWorks transformed Steig's slim volume into a $500 million blockbuster franchise. Producer John H. Williams discovered the book through his sons at a local library, seeing kinship with The Simpsons' irreverent style. The studio spent over five years adapting the story, adding subplots and characters like Pinocchio while redesigning Shrek's appearance. Steig had minimal involvement but suggested Shrek's swamp farting scene.

The author viewed a rough cut shortly before his death in 2003, falling asleep during the Boston screening. His daughter Maggie believes he would have been both delighted and baffled by Shrek's evolution into internet meme culture, tattoos, and even Bad Bunny's SNL tribute. Steig's legacy spans dozens of children's books exploring existential themes through animal protagonists.