'Shrek 5' Postponed, Swaps Release with 'Minions 3'

Universal Pictures has shifted the release date of Shrek 5 to December 23, 2026, a few months later than initially planned. This move allows Minions 3, a spin-off from the Despicable Me franchise, to retain its original July 1, 2026 release date.

Variety reports that this scheduling change maintains the Despicable Me series' tradition of a July 4th weekend release. Shrek 5, conversely, aims to capitalize on the lucrative holiday box office in 2026. This marks the return of the main Shrek series after a 16-year hiatus.

First announced in 2016, the sequel remained largely dormant until 2023 when Chris Meledandri, CEO of Illumination, confirmed its development and hinted at a potential Donkey spin-off.

Eddie Murphy, the voice of Donkey, further substantiated the project's progress in 2024, stating that recording for Shrek 5 had commenced and that a Donkey solo film was also in the works. "We started doing [Shrek 5] months ago," he revealed. "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 premiered in 2001. The franchise continued with Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek the Third (2007), and Shrek Forever After (2010).

The popular Puss in Boots spin-off series also boasts two successful installments: the first in 2011 and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish in 2022. The latter received widespread critical acclaim, including a 9/10 rating from IGN, who praised its "stunning animation" and "poignant, surprisingly mature story," describing it as "the Shrek franchise's answer to Logan we didn't know we needed."