Shrek, the grumpy green ogre, first came onto our screens in 2001 โ and changed pop culture forever. Now, the beloved character, his donkey sidekick and even some new characters are returning for a fifth โShrekโ installment.
On Feb. 27, Universal Pictures released a look at the upcoming film, as well as revealed that Zendaya was cast as a new character. According to the casting announcement, the โEuphoriaโ star joins as Shrek and Fionaโs daughter.
The first โShrekโ movie led to a decadeslong franchise of animated childrenโs movies and spinoffs, and sparked a subculture of its own โ even Al Pacino is a part of the Shrek-hive.
After four โShrekโ movies, DreamWorks Animations announced July 9, 2024, that the franchise was officially getting a much-anticipated update.ย
Hereโs everything we know about โShrek 5โ so far.ย
When does โShrek 5โ come out?
โShrek 5โ is set to be released in theaters on Christmas Day in 2026.
The fifth first was originally scheduled to be released, July 1, 2026, per DreamWorks, but has since been shifted.
This marks 16 years since Shrek was on the screen. The fourth โShrekโ installment, โShrek Forever After,โ came out in 2010.
The release date will also come in time to celebrate the franchiseโs 25th anniversary.
Which original โShrekโ cast members are returning?
According to DreamWorks, Mike Meyers and Eddie Murphy โ the original cast members who brought Shrek and Donkey to life, respectively โ are returning.
Cameron Diaz, who announced her retirement from acting back in 2018, has also joined the cast to reprise her role as Shrekโs wife, Fiona.ย
Zendaya is the latest actor to join the cast as Shrek and Fiona’s daughter.
In June 2024, Murphy let it slip in an interview with Collider that he had already begun voice work for the movie and his Donkey character was getting a spinoff movie of his own.ย
โWe started doing โShrekโ four or five months ago,โ Murphy told Collider. โWeโre gonna do Donkey as well. So weโre gonna do a โShrek,โ and weโre doing a Donkey (movie).โ
Antonio Banderas, who voiced the character Puss in Boots in the โShrekโ movies and spinoffs โPuss in Bootsโ and โPuss in Boots: The Last Wish,โ is not confirmed to return โย yet.
