Universal Pictures has shifted the release date of Shrek 5, pushing it back a few months to December 23, 2026. This allows the Minions 3, a Despicable Me spin-off, to maintain its original July 1, 2026 premiere.
Variety reports that this scheduling change keeps the Despicable Me franchise's tradition of a July 4th weekend release. Shrek 5, however, will now aim for the lucrative holiday season of 2026, marking its return after a 16-year hiatus.
Initially announced in 2016, the project remained largely silent until 2023 when Chris Meledandri, Illumination CEO, confirmed its active development, along with hints of a potential Donkey spin-off.
Eddie Murphy, the voice of Donkey, further confirmed the film's progress in 2024, adding fuel to the Donkey spin-off speculation. "We started working on [Shrek 5] months ago," he stated. "I recorded the first act, and we'll continue this year. We'll finish it. Shrek is coming out, and Donkey's getting his own movie. We're doing Donkey as well."
Shrek 5's release will coincide with the 25th anniversary of the original Shrek film, which debuted in 2001. The franchise continued with Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek the Third (2007), and Shrek Forever After (2010).
The popular Puss in Boots character has also starred in two successful spin-offs: the first in 2011 and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish in 2022. The latter received critical acclaim, earning a 9/10 rating from IGN, which praised its "stunning animation" and "poignant, surprisingly mature story," calling it "the Shrek franchise's answer to Logan we didn't know we needed."
