Puss in Boots (or simply Puss) is a main fictional character in the Shrek franchise. He made his first appearance in the film Shrek 2 (2004). He is also the title character and protagonist in the 2011 spin-off film Puss in Boots (in which his origins are described) and its 2022 sequel, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (set sometime after Shrek Forever After). Puss also appears in the non-canon Netflix television series centered on him, The Adventures of Puss in Boots (2015–2018).

Puss was loosely based on the title character of the fairy tale "Puss in Boots". His design, created by Tom Hester, was based on real cats. Several characters were used as inspirations for Puss's characterization, such as Zorro, James Bond, and Indiana Jones. The idea of Puss as the protagonist of a film was explored after his debut appearance. Antonio Banderas voices Puss in the English, Spanish, and Italian dubs of the Shrek franchise. While he initially tried a high-pitched voice for the character, he and the Shrek 2 filmmakers decided on a tone that was deeper than his normal voice. Banderas said that voicing Puss was an important part of his career. Eric Bauza is the voice of Puss in Boots in the non-canon spin-off, The Adventures of Puss in Boots.

The DreamWorks character of Puss in Boots has received generally positive reviews, with critics praising his depiction and considering him a source of comic relief. Reviewers have regarded Puss as a popular Shrek character. Banderas's voice acting has also been praised. Merchandise inspired by the character has been produced.

Development Concept and creation Puss in Boots is loosely based on the title character of the fairy tale with the same name. Character designer Tom Hester provided Puss's design, which was based on cats owned by Shrek director Andrew Adamson and effects supervisor Ken Bielenberg. After Antonio Banderas had been cast as Puss's voice, the Shrek animators analyzed his performance as the title character in The Mask of Zorro (1998) for insight into Puss's depiction. Inspired by Banderas's Zorro, the filmmakers decided to make Puss's origins Spanish (instead of the fairy tale's Italian and French). When computer-animating Puss, new animation tools were required for his fur, belt, and the plume on his hat.

Chris Miller, head of story of the film Shrek 2 (2004), said that he enjoyed the character of Puss as much as viewers seemed to; he and everyone else involved in Shrek 2 wanted to add more scenes related to Puss to the film. Miller described Puss as "a really cool, dynamic sidekick character at that time", saying that the filmmakers had decided to link the character to a "weird history" in which he had been "everywhere" and done "everything". He and the other filmmakers wondered what the story of Puss would look like and why he had his accent. According to Miller, writing and developing Puss had been "so much fun", and the character had a "huge impact" in Shrek 2 by stealing so many scenes. Miller said that he had "always loved" the character and had been "fascinated by where Puss had been before". Puss repeatedly mentions "some great adventure" (without details) in the Shrek films, and Miller wanted to know more about his origins (such as where his boots came from). Miller called Puss his favorite Shrek character, who had "always stood out", and could not imagine anyone other than Banderas voicing him; soon after the character had been created, Banderas was offered the role. Miller commented that the actor's performance was "pretty brilliant".

After realizing at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival how much viewers enjoyed Puss's character, Jeffrey Katzenberg, co-founder of DreamWorks Animation, began considering "the idea of possibly continuing with the character in the Shrek series" and creating a film with Puss as the protagonist. Katzenberg called Puss a "scene stealer" and said he "seemed to beg for his own film" after his first appearance in the Shrek franchise. Miller knew that Puss was suitable for a standalone film, and he was pleased when Banderas quickly accepted the role. Miller was happy with DreamWorks's decision to create a film about Puss and excited to contribute to its production. He said the idea of Puss having his own film had been considered since the character had joined the Shrek franchise, attributing this to "the size and scope of that character" and "the personality that Antonio infused that character with". Although the filmmakers initially wanted to bring cats to the DreamWorks studios to study them for the development of Puss, the DreamWorks staff suggested watching YouTube cat videos instead. According to Miller, YouTube was the filmmakers' "great resource" of inspiration to which they added their "personal experience". He said that cats, "as seriously as they take themselves", "can never resist their true nature", and he cited Puss's "hissing" as an example.

The Puss in Boots filmmakers knew from the beginning that something about the character "demanded [the story] just be larger than life". While the story had initially been conceptualized as "loosely based" on the classic fairy tale, involving "Puss and three sons of the miller", the filmmakers decided to create "a new story told on a grander scale", "something that would be more worthy of" Puss. "Spaghetti Western style and structure" also inspired Puss's character, and the filmmakers decided to use "big screen legends" as inspiration. Miller cited Clint Eastwood as one of the "classic cinematic figures" inspiring Puss's portrayal and regarded him as "a strong force" since there was "something about Clint that was in the cat". He also cited Indiana Jones's "adventurous spirit", James Bond and Errol Flynn. Miller also cited Zorro as an inspiration for Puss since Banderas (who played Zorro) voiced him, and he said that "Antonio's persona [had] really dictated so many of the choices that [had been] made" about Puss's character in Puss in Boots. According to Miller, it is "very difficult to tell the difference" between Puss and Banderas.

The filmmakers decided to give Puss "a heavy story" in Puss in Boots; they felt that breaking his heart would be "really important", and they wanted to offer him "something to redeem himself from and clear his name". They debated whether Puss would be portrayed as a misunderstood fugitive. Miller said that although Puss could have been depicted as deceptive, the filmmakers had decided to portray him as blameworthy; robbing the bank was not Puss's plan and he ran away "out of fear", but he had to take responsibility for his actions. Miller stated that Puss's "desire to believe the best in someone else" and to "hang on to a friendship" represent "the kind of things that get him in trouble". Puss's backstory was meant to indicate the "heaviness on his mind and in his heart", and why he was on the run despite his "cool life". Miller said that Puss was a "pretty wide open" character when it came to his portrayal in the film; Puss adds a dramatic note to everything, which the filmmakers used "to attach a very tragic story to his life". Miller stated that "the heavy dramatic themes" fit Puss's character well, making the character's journey a "story of redemption" in which "he sort of walks a dark path with a hole punched in his heart" and wishes "to clear away the sins of his past" and "reclaim what was his". Miller said that Puss in his cape affirmed "an urban legend"; although he wore it in marketing material, he rarely did so in the films. According to Miller, Puss's cape was "so expensive to keep strapped to that cat" and "so cumbersome" that the Puss in Boots filmmakers decided to have the character wear it for a short time, as in Shrek 2. Miller felt that Puss's "giant big eyes" would appeal to viewers. Puss in Boots executive producer Guillermo del Toro said that Puss would be taken "to a completely different land which is very exotic" in the then future adventure film Puss in Boots: The Last Wish since Miller wanted the film to be set in a visually different universe than Shreks.

Doug Langdale, executive producer of the television series The Adventures of Puss in Boots (2015–2018), said that in the series Puss fights "a lot more" compared to the films; he is depicted "more as a master swordsman with lots of extra punching, kicking and action". Langdale stated that he "wanted to set the show earlier in Puss's life, back when he was the only one who thought he was a legend ... had more to prove, and maybe [was not] quite so awesome at everything yet", which determined that the series would be set before the film Puss in Boots. He said that since Puss is a "hero", the series focuses on his saving people and defeating "bad guys". Langdale added that in the series, "unexpected depth and nuance" are brought to the character with comedy; Puss was a "nomad" and a "loner" before the events of the series, which "is an essential segment in Puss's life" that taught him "how to get along with other people" and made him "understand the value of friendships and relationships". According to Langdale, "the audience [would] willingly follow" Puss's "charm, charisma and appeal".

Voice

Robert Patrick, Harrison Ford, Sylvester Stallone, David Krumholtz, Dennis Quaid, and Todd Stashwick were considered for the role of Puss before Antonio Banderas was cast. Antonio Banderas voiced Puss in the Shrek franchise. Banderas said that his initial motivation to voice Puss was that he enjoyed the first Shrek film. According to the actor, he was chosen for the role of Puss because of his Spanish accent. According to Banderas, he was on Broadway for the musical Nine when Jeffrey Katzenberg approached him about taking the role. The Shrek 2 filmmakers showed him "a lot of paintings of the character", and he realized how "little" Puss was. Banderas said that he had developed a strategy for playing Puss after accepting the role, which had determined Puss's personality. Although he could have used a high-pitched voice for Puss, which was the filmmakers' original idea, he and the others working on the film opted for a tone that was "deeper" and "more breathy" than his normal voice. Banderas called the choice "very interesting", adding that it "helped to establish the limits and the parameters of the character in terms of personality". He regarded the effect as "almost like a lion trapped in the body of a little cat", which makes Puss "different". According to the actor, Puss's voice contrasts with his body; he stated that "the cat is not supposed to talk like that", adding that the difference between Puss's voice and appearance is comic relief. He also commented that the contrast between Puss's appearance and voice makes it seem like he is not even aware of his size. Banderas said that after the decision about Puss's voice had been made, the filmmakers had begun depicting the character "in a totally different way". He added that Puss had initially been conceptualized as "quite a little character" but had started gaining more importance after the filmmakers had realized his potential. Banderas said that he and the filmmakers had "a lot of fun" with Puss's character, and he felt that viewers did too.