Shrek 5 fans will need to wait a little longer before heading back to the swamp. Universal and DreamWorks Animation have officially delayed the film’s release to June 30, 2027, pushing it six months from its previously planned December 23, 2026 slot. 
Originally announced for July 2026, the long-awaited sequel has now endured multiple schedule changes, leaving audiences wondering what’s going on behind the scenes.
Neither studio has revealed the reason for the shift, but the move also frees up the late June date for another animated contender – an untitled Illumination project now set for April 16, 2027. This latest Shrek chapter will mark the franchise’s first mainline entry since 2010’s Shrek Forever After, making it a full 15 years since we’ve seen Shrek, Donkey, and Fiona in their own movie.
We do know that the new film will shake up the familiar fairy-tale formula. Returning voices Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz will be joined by Zendaya as Shrek and Fiona’s teenage daughter, introduced in a fresh art style teased in a 30-second trailer earlier this year. That brief footage sparked mixed reactions online – from excitement over the updated look to memes comparing Shrek’s glow-up to Sonic’s pre-fix transformation.
Love it or hate it, the reality is clear: nostalgia sells. While many lament Hollywood’s fixation on sequels and reboots, original animated projects in recent years – even heartfelt ones like Onward or Elemental – have struggled to connect at the box office. Shrek 5, however, is almost guaranteed to be a major draw when it finally stomps into theaters in summer 2027. Until then, fans can keep speculating – and memeing – about what’s keeping the big green guy so busy.