Shrek 5 Movie Preview

Finally - everyone's favorite ogre is returning to the movies after 16 years! "Shrek 5" reunites the old group of heroes and takes us on a new, crazy adventure. About time - or yet another unnecessary sequel? Let's take a look at the media franchise, the upcoming movie and further plans for the "Shrek" universe!

The Success Story of Shrek

At the time part 5 is released in cinemas, the franchise will already be 25 years old. Shrek first hit movie theaters in 2001 and made a big impression in the world of animated movies. After all, the then still young US movie studio DreamWorks produced the most sophisticated computer-animated film to date. The work on "Shrek" took a whole 6 years, partly because lead actor Chris Farley passed away in the meantime and had to be replaced by Mike Myers. The latter then put his very own mark on the ogre.

The outcome proved to be a success: it grossed almost 500 million US dollars worldwide. The direct sequel went on to gross almost a billion, part 3 another 800 million and the fourth Shrek movie 750 million. So there was a noticeable downward trend, but naturally at a high level. After 2010, the main series was then paused for a while. Since then, two "Puss in Boots" spin-offs have been released in theaters - otherwise there was a period of silence. The last time we heard of a possible fifth film was in 2014.

Shrek 5 Facts

Then, in June 2024, Donkey voice actor Eddie Murphy dropped the bombshell: "Shrek 5" is coming and work on it is already in full swing! There are currently no details about the story, but producer Chris Meledandri has already promised that there will be some singing parts again.

In a short teaser trailer, DreamWorks also revealed that Mike Myers as Shrek and Cameron Diaz as Princess Fiona will be back alongside Murphy. John Lithgow aka Lord Farquaad will likewise be returning for the fifth part. It is not yet known whether Antonio Banderas will be back as Puss in Boots as well. Considering the success of the spin-off movies, it's quite likely, however.

"Shrek 5" will be directed by Walt Dohrn, who previously wrote "Shrek 2" and "Shrek the Third" and also provided the voice of Rumpelstiltskin in part 4. The movie is being produced by Gina Shay and Chris Meledandri. The latter was already responsible for the "Despicable Me" film series, for example. The new project thus seems to be in good hands.

Theatrical Release and Additional Projects

The theatrical release of "Shrek 5" is scheduled for July 1, 2026. According to Eddie Murphy, it is not the only planned project from the Shrek universe, however: there will also be a spin-off movie about the Donkey. The release date for this film is still unknown, though. The franchise definitely has potential for more projects, as the success of the "Puss in Boots" movies has shown.

Well, we are very much looking forward to seeing the green ogre again. The key elements of the "Shrek" series have always been humor and parodies of well-known fairy tale films and other pop culture references. With the relatively quick consecutive sequels in the 2000s, the series appeared to have lost a bit of steam in this regard. But after such a long break, now might be just the right time to really draw on the full potential again: After all, a lot has happened in 16 years that can be specifically made fun of.