I mentioned a few weeks ago that the production of Spiderman 3 was one of the savviest personal finance moves that you could emulate. The producers/financiers/etc… took an initial risk on a big-budget movie and have been reaping the financial gains ever since. They took the initial plunge into the world of business, minimized the risk by using a famed character, and were lucky enough to have a hit.

Let’s just say that Shrek is another one of those cornucopia’s that I term as “surprising business idea cash cows.” Especially given that they used some obscure children’s book character as the basis for their massive movie budget. With word that Shrek broke box office records for its initial weekend release, Dreamworks breathed a sigh of relief and kids a sigh of boredom (a third Shrek!).

Yet parents continue to pack the theaters. Inflation and price increases be damned, Shrek 2 has given up the title to a “much more” competent younger brother.

I knew the color green stood for something… ka-ching!