Universal Pictures has shifted the release date of Shrek 5, pushing it back a few months to December 23, 2026. This allows the Despicable Me spin-off, Minions 3, to maintain its original July 1, 2026 release, capitalizing on the Independence Day box office.
Variety reports this scheduling change. The move keeps the Minions franchise aligned with its established summer release pattern. Shrek 5, conversely, aims for the lucrative holiday season, marking its return after a 16-year hiatus.
Initially announced in 2016, the project remained relatively dormant for several years. However, Chris Meledandri, CEO of Illumination, confirmed its active development in 2023, alongside hints of a potential Donkey spin-off.
Eddie Murphy, the voice of Donkey, further substantiated the project's progress in 2024, confirming recording sessions and expressing enthusiasm for both Shrek 5 and a solo Donkey 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."
Shrek 5's 2026 release will coincide with the 25th anniversary of the original Shrek film, which premiered in 2001. The original was followed by Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek the Third (2007), and Shrek Forever After (2010).
The Puss in Boots spin-off series has also proven successful, with the first film in 2011 and the critically acclaimed Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) receiving a 9/10 rating from IGN. IGN praised the film, stating, "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."
