Shrek 5 Delayed as It Swaps Release Dates With Minions 3

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 retain its original July 1, 2026, premiere, capitalizing on the lucrative Independence Day box office.

Variety reports this scheduling change. Shrek 5, marking the franchise's return after a 16-year hiatus, will now aim for the lucrative holiday season of 2026.

Initially announced in 2016, the project remained largely dormant until 2023 when Chris Meledandri, Illumination CEO, confirmed its active development, along with hints of a potential Donkey spin-off.

Eddie Murphy, the voice of Donkey, further substantiated the project's progress last year, confirming recording had begun 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 release will coincide with the 25th anniversary of the original Shrek film, which debuted in 2001. This initial success spawned sequels Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek the Third (2007), and Shrek Forever After (2010).

The popular Puss in Boots character also boasts two successful spin-offs: 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 rating from IGN, which praised its "stunning animation with a poignant, surprisingly mature story," calling it "the Shrek franchise's answer to Logan we didn't know we needed."