Shrek 5 Delayed as It Swaps Release Dates With Minions 3

Universal Pictures shuffles its animation slate, pushing back the release of Shrek 5 to capitalize on the holiday season. Minions 3, a spin-off from the Despicable Me franchise, will now occupy the July 1st, 2026 release date originally slated for Shrek 5. This maintains the Despicable Me series' tradition of a summer release around Independence Day.

Variety reports that Shrek 5, the highly anticipated return of the beloved ogre after a 16-year hiatus, will now debut on December 23rd, 2026. The sequel, first announced in 2016, saw a period of inactivity before Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri confirmed its development in 2023, along with hints of a potential Donkey spin-off.

Eddie Murphy, the voice of Donkey, further confirmed the project's progress in 2024, stating that recording for the first act was completed and that a Donkey solo film was also in the works. "We started doing [Shrek 5] months ago," Murphy 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 saw success, with the first film in 2011 and the critically acclaimed Puss in Boots: The Last Wish in 2022, receiving a 9/10 rating from IGN, who lauded its "stunning animation" and "poignant, surprisingly mature story."