Shrek first appeared in DreamWorks' animated film Shrek in 2001 and went on to become one of the internet's most reused characters, appearing in countless parodies, edits, and ironic memes. The jumpscare version grew out of that meme culture on platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, where creators contrasted his friendly, familiar face with a sudden loud scare. It spread through prank compilations and reaction clips, where the joke is the shocked reaction it provokes rather than real horror. That simple contrast keeps it useful for short-form edits today.