Shrek 5 Release Delayed, Swaps 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 allows Minions 3, a spin-off from the Despicable Me franchise, to maintain its original July 1, 2026 release date. This keeps the Despicable Me films' tradition of a July 4th weekend release.

As reported by Variety, Shrek 5's new release date targets the lucrative holiday box office period of 2026. This will mark the first mainline Shrek film in 16 years.

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

Eddie Murphy, the voice of Donkey, further confirmed the film's progress a year later, adding more fuel to the Donkey spin-off rumors. "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."

The release of Shrek 5 will coincide with the 25th anniversary of the franchise, as the original Shrek film debuted in 2001. This was followed by Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek the Third (2007), and Shrek Forever After (2010).

The popular Puss in Boots character has already starred in two successful spin-offs: the first in 2011, and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish in 2022. The latter film received critical acclaim, earning a 9/10 rating from IGN, who praised its "stunning animation" and "poignant, surprisingly mature story," calling it the "Shrek franchise's answer to Logan we didn't know we needed."