This year's Tribeca Film Festival will open with the closing chapter (or so DreamWorks says) of the Shrek "saga", Shrek Forever After.  Previous big-name debuts at Tribeca include Spider-Man 3, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, and Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones.

I'm trying not to be too down on Shrek Forever After especially since Steve, who shares my loathing of Shrek The Third, said he enjoyed what he saw of the new film.  The "final chapter" (again, I have trouble DreamWorks will let this money-machine rest in peace) has Shrek being tricked into an "It's-a-Wonderful-Life" bargain by Rumplestiltskin.  Shrek must fight to return to his reality and escape from the alternate Far, Far Away where he never met Fiona, Donkey, or Puss in Boots, and Rumplestiltskin is king.

Hit the jump to read the full press release.  The Tribeca Film Festival runs from April 21st - May 2nd.  The Tribeca Film Festival will announce its 2010 feature film slate on March 10 and 15.  Shrek Forever After will hit theatres nationwide in 3D on May 21st.

Here's the full press release:

Tribeca is excited to announce that the world premiere of Shrek Forever After, from DreamWorks Animation SKG, will kick off the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival on Wednesday, April 21! Presented by American Express, the Festival will run through May 2, and tickets will go on sale April 13.

With Shrek Forever After, everybody's favorite green ogre is back-and so are Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, and Antonio Banderas-but you've never seen them like this! The final installment of the series is the first to be presented in 3D; what's more, it's also a new dimension for the Tribeca Film Festival.

Festival co-founder Jane Rosenthal explains, "We have always sought to open our Festival with films that are captivating and strike an emotional chord with movie-goers. Shrek Forever After combines the very best in storytelling and artistry while showcasing the wonders of innovative 3D filmmaking, [making it] one of the most anticipated new movies of 2010."

DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg returns the compliment: "DreamWorks Animation is honored to bring the world premiere of Shrek Forever After to New York City for the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival. It is a great privilege and tribute to our entire cast and crew to have been chosen as this year's opening night selection."

What about the story? Well, it sounds like Shrek has gotten himself into another fine mess. Longing for the days when he felt like a "real ogre," Shrek is duped into signing a pact with Rumpelstiltskin. When Shrek suddenly finds himself in an alternate version of Far Far Away, where Rumpelstiltskin is king and Shrek and Fiona have never met, it's up to Shrek to restore his world and reclaim his one True Love.

Director Mike Mitchell (Surviving Christmas, Greg the Bunny) has worked on a number of animated projects, including the hits Monsters vs. Aliens and Kung Fu Panda. As one of the artists on the earlier Shrek films, Mitchell has a particular insight into the story: "The final chapter of Shrek's personal journey brings all of our beloved characters full circle in a way that pays creative homage to each of the previous films and the stories they told, while taking Shrek and his family and friends on a fantastic, emotion-filled journey that is funny at every turn."

As for the technology involved, Mitchell continues, "Technological innovation at DreamWorks Animation has done wonders for our storytelling capabilities, and I am excited to share these with audiences when we bring Far Far Away into the third dimension for the very first time."

The premiere will take place on Wednesday, April 21, and the Festival will run through Sunday, May 2. The Tribeca Film Festival will announce its 2010 feature film slate on March 10 and 15.