Though its most recent animated movie — "Monsters vs. Aliens" — was a critical disappointment, DreamWorks is back at the drawing board. Today, studio exec Jeffrey Katzenberg announced an ambitious slate of eight toons, all to be released in 3-D, over the next three and a half years. Among the most high profile of these is "Shrek Forever After" due out in 2010. This will be the third sequel to the Oscar-winning "Shrek."

That first film about the lovable green ogre won the inaugural Academy Award for best animated film in 2001. Since then, DreamWorks has had four more Oscar contenders — "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron" (2002); both "Shark Tale" and "Shrek 2" (2004); and "Kung Fu Panda" (2008) — but has yet to repeat as a solo winner. It did co-produce the 2005 champ "Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit" much as Disney did with 2002 winner "Spirited Away."

Disney's partner Pixar has produced four of the eight animated films to win this Oscar — "Finding Nemo" (2003): "The Incredibles" (2004); "Ratatouille" (2007); and "Wall-E" (2008). And Pixar has a strong contender with tomorrow's release of "Up." (Warners won with "Happy Feet" in 2006.)

DreamWorks is also producing a prequel of sorts to "Shrek" as the 2012 "Puss in Boots" showcases this popular cat character voiced by Antonio Banderas with Salma Hayek as his love interest. Oscar also-ran "Kung Fu Panda" gets a 2011 sequel subtitled "The Kaboom of Doom." And the "Madagascar" series continues with a third installment, due out in 2012, in which the talkative animals join the circus.

First up among the new films is "How to Train Your Dragon" out in the spring of 2010. Based on the bestselling children's book by Cressida Cowell, this is the story of the son of a Viking who teaches his pet dragon how to be a hero. Gerard Butler and America Ferrera are the most notable names among the voice talent. Then in November 2010, comes "Oobermind" with Robert Downey Jr. and Tina Fey among those giving voice to the story of a supervillain who has vanquished all the do-gooders only to realize how boring life can be on his own.