Shrek 5 Delayed as It Swaps Release Dates With Minions 3

Universal Pictures has shifted the release date of Shrek 5 by a few months, pushing it back to December 23, 2026. This move allows Minions 3, a Despicable Me spin-off, to maintain its original July 1, 2026 release date, capitalizing on the lucrative Independence Day box office.

Variety reports that this scheduling change keeps the Despicable Me franchise's tradition of summer releases intact. Shrek 5, meanwhile, will now aim for the highly competitive holiday season of 2026, marking its return to theaters after a 16-year hiatus.

Initially announced in 2016, the project remained relatively quiet for years until 2023, when Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri confirmed its active development, alongside hints of a potential Donkey spin-off.

Eddie Murphy, the voice of Donkey, further confirmed the film's progress in 2024, adding fuel to the rumors of a Donkey solo film. "We started working on [Shrek 5] months ago," he stated. "I recorded the first act, and we'll be finishing it this year. Shrek is coming out, and Donkey's going to have his own movie. We're going to 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 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 entries: the first in 2011 and the critically acclaimed Puss in Boots: The Last Wish in 2022. The latter received glowing reviews, including a 9/10 score from IGN, which praised its "stunning animation" and "poignant, surprisingly mature story," calling it the "Shrek franchise's answer to Logan we didn't know we needed."