Dreamworks’ ogre Shrek to star in London attraction

Dreamworks Animation's green ogre Shrek will star in a family entertainment attraction that will open in London in the summer of 2015, the first of six attractions based on the blockbuster movie franchise that will be built over nine years.

Dreamworks licensed Shrek and other characters to Madame Tussauds and Legoland owner Merlin Entertainment, which will build and operate the 20,000 square foot attraction called "Shrek's Far Far Away Adventure," said the companies on Monday. It will be located on London's South Bank, the site of the London Eye Ferris wheel and other tourist spots.

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Visitors will walk through scenes with live interactive entertainment that tell a story based on Shrek. They can also meet the ogre and other characters from Dreamworks movie franchises including "Madagascar," "Kung Fu Panda," and "How to Train Your Dragon."

The Shrek attractions give Dreamworks another way to earn revenue from its popular characters as the company diversifies its business beyond the big screen.

"These will be very high-profile Dreamworks-branded locations," Dreamworks Animation chief executive Jeffrey Katzenberg said in an interview. "They are very valuable for us to be able to find new ways to really engage with our audience and the fans of our movies and our characters."