Universal Pictures shuffles its release schedule, pushing back Shrek 5 to December 23, 2026, while keeping Minions 3, a Despicable Me spin-off, on its original July 1, 2026 release date. This strategic move allows Minions 3 to capitalize on the lucrative Independence Day box office, a tradition established by previous Despicable Me installments. Shrek 5, marking the franchise's return after a 16-year hiatus, will now aim for the holiday season.

Variety reports on this scheduling change. The Shrek 5 sequel, initially announced in 2016, experienced a period of inactivity before Chris Meledandri, Illumination CEO, confirmed its development in 2023, alongside the possibility of a Donkey spin-off.

Eddie Murphy, the voice of Donkey, further substantiated the project's progress in 2024, confirming recording had commenced and expressing enthusiasm for both Shrek 5 and a standalone 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."

The release of Shrek 5 will coincide with the 25th anniversary of the original Shrek film, which premiered in 2001. The franchise continued with Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek the Third (2007), and Shrek Forever After (2010). The popular Puss in Boots spin-off series also saw success, with the first film in 2011 and the critically acclaimed Puss in Boots: The Last Wish in 2022, which IGN awarded a 9/10 rating. We praised the film for its "stunning animation with a poignant, surprisingly mature story," calling it "the Shrek franchise's answer to Logan we didn't know we needed."