Shrek 5 Delayed as It Swaps Release Dates With Minions 3
Universal Pictures has shifted the release date of Shrek 5, pushing it back a few months to December 23, 2026. This move allows the Despicable Me spin-off, Minions 3, to maintain its original July 1, 2026, premiere, capitalizing on the lucrative Independence Day box office. Variety reports on this scheduling change.
Shrek 5, marking the franchise's return after a 16-year hiatus, will now aim for the lucrative holiday season of 2026. Initially announced in 2016, the project remained largely dormant until 2023 when Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri confirmed its active development, along with hints of a potential Donkey spin-off.
Eddie Murphy, the voice of Donkey, further substantiated the film's progress in 2024, confirming recording sessions and reiterating the possibility of a Donkey solo film. "We started doing [Shrek 5] months ago," he stated. "I did this, I recorded the first act, and we'll be doing it this year. We’ll finish it up. Shrek is coming out, and Donkey's gonna have his own movie. We're gonna do Donkey as well."
The release of Shrek 5 will coincide with the 25th anniversary of the original Shrek film, which debuted in 2001. The franchise has seen several sequels – Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek the Third (2007), and Shrek Forever After (2010) – and two successful Puss in Boots spin-offs (2011 and 2022). The most recent Puss in Boots installment, The Last Wish, received critical acclaim, earning a 9/10 rating from IGN, who praised its "stunning animation" and "poignant, surprisingly mature story."
