Universal Pictures has recently announced a change in the release schedule for two of its highly anticipated animated films. Shrek 5, originally slated for an earlier release, has been postponed to December 23, 2026. This strategic move positions the film to capitalize on the lucrative holiday season, marking its first mainline release in 16 years.
In a corresponding adjustment, the Despicable Me spin-off, Minions 3, will take over Shrek 5's original slot and is now set to premiere on July 1, 2026. This scheduling maintains the tradition of Despicable Me films dominating the Independence Day box office.
The announcement of Shrek 5 came in 2016, but progress updates were scarce until 2023 when Chris Meledandri, CEO of Illumination, confirmed its active development. Alongside Shrek 5, Meledandri expressed interest in a Donkey spin-off. Eddie Murphy, the voice behind Donkey, further validated the project's advancement in the following year, revealing that he had already recorded the first act of Shrek 5. "We started doing [Shrek 5] months ago," Murphy 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."
As Shrek 5 is set to hit theaters, it will coincide with the franchise's 25th anniversary, reflecting on the original Shrek's debut in 2001. The series continued with Shrek 2, Shrek the Third, and Shrek Forever After, released in 2004, 2007, and 2010, respectively.
Additionally, the Shrek universe has expanded with the Puss in Boots spin-offs. The first Puss in Boots film was released in 2011, followed by Puss in Boots: The Last Wish in 2022. The latter received exceptional reviews, earning a 9/10 from IGN. "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish mixes stunning animation with a poignant, surprisingly mature story to deliver the Shrek franchise's answer to Logan we didn't know we needed," IGN noted, highlighting the film's critical acclaim.
