Everyone’s favorite ogre is making a momentous return to take viewers back to the swamp! Universal Studios dropped a cast announcement teaser for Shrek 5 on YouTube on February 27, 2025. The film is eyeing a Christmas 2026 release and also features an exciting new cast member.
On February 27, 2025, the Hollywood Reporter exclusively reported that Zendaya has been cast in Shrek 5 to play Shrek and Fiona’s daughter. The film comes over a decade after the previous installment in the franchise, the 2010 film Shrek Forever After. The cast of Shrek 5 will include Mike Myers and Cameron Diaz, reprising their roles as Shrek and Fiona, respectively. Eddie Murphy will return to voice the iconic Donkey. The film will be directed by franchise veterans Walt Dohrn and Conrad Vernon, along with Minions: The Rise of Gru co-director Brad Ableson. Interestingly, the directors have also voiced iconic characters in the Shrek films. In Shrek Forever After, Conrad voiced Rumplestilskin, and Walt voiced Gingerbread Man (aka Gingy). Shrek 5 will be produced by Gina Shay and Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri.
Zendaya’s upcoming schedule includes highly anticipated projects, like Dune: Messiah, Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, Spider-Man 4, and Euphoria Season 3. So, the actress’s casting in the 25-year-old Oscar-winning franchise is nothing short of iconic. The Shrek franchise is the second biggest animated film franchise, with a worldwide box office collection of $2.95 billion. The plot details of the Shrek 5 are yet to be revealed.
Fans Are Mortified by the Upgraded Appearance of Characters
The palpable excitement over the return of the Shrek franchise after over a decade was short-lived, as viewers were left less than enthused about the upgraded appearance of the beloved characters. According to Forbes, fans were up in arms over the 27-second clip that provided a momentary glimpse at Shrek 5.
Fans are upset over the appearance of Donkey and Shrek, in particular, who seem to have undergone a visible upgrade in the last 10-15 years. The uproar has resulted in the clip following in the footsteps of Disney’s Snow White live-action, collecting an alarming number of dislikes. The backlash was incessant to the extent that even the comments section had to be disabled.
Messing with the appearance of iconic characters in a franchise may not bode well for a film that has been in the making for so many years. However, the outlet made a valid point of noting that amid the gap between the previous film in the franchise and now, a lot has changed in the realm of animation. On a technical level, the animation engine used is MoonRay, which Dreamworks introduced with Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, which would have contributed to the visual changes.
Shrek 5 is scheduled to release exclusively in theatres on December 23, 2026. In the meantime, you can stream Shrek Forever After on Max.
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Shrek 5 |
|---|---|
| Cast | Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Zendaya |
| Release Date | Christmas 2026 |
| Stream On | TBA (Expected on Peacock after theatrical release) |
| Directed by | Walt Dohrn, Conrad Vernon, Brad Ableson |
| Produced by | Gina Shay, Chris Meledandri |
| Based On | Characters from Shrek by DreamWorks Animation |
| Plot Summary | Shrek and Fiona’s daughter embarks on a new adventure, bringing fresh challenges and hilarious moments in the beloved fairytale world. |
| Musical Elements | Expected to feature classic Shrek humor and an iconic soundtrack, with fresh additions. |
| Current Status | Announced, set for theatrical release in Christmas 2026. |
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