Shrek is an icon. There, we said it. If there was ever a figure so completely emblematic of early 2000s culture, fairytale-core, and loving yourself, it was the big green ogre who captured the hearts of everyone around the world. Now, there's a Shrek 5 release date on the way!
Since 2001, Shrek has become a growing franchise, resulting in several spin-offs and shorts, meaning that watching the Shrek movies in order has become more complicated than you'd think! Thankfully, the follow-up to one of the best comedy movies ever made might actually be closer than we think.
Shrek 5 release date speculation
The Shrek 5 release date will land sometime in 2025, according to a recent leak.
This all comes after an NBCUniversal employee listed the movie on her LinkedIn page, citing "2025" as the release date. It was then quickly removed, but not before an army of fans were quick to pounce on the update.
It was announced on April 4, 2023 that Dreamworks was actively developing Shrek 5. It's officially been in development since 2017, technically, but things were quickly halted when the industry (and the world) was hit by the pandemic.
Meledandri said in April 2023 that "talks are starting now" to nail down the original cast to return for new movies. So, the ball is rolling, and a studio employee might have spilled the beans. Realistically, we'll believe it when we see it, but we'll keep our fingers crossed that the 2025 rumor is true!
Ironically, along with the release window leak came news that might pose problems for the future of animation. Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO and co-founder of Dreamworks, revealed that he believed the animation industry was moving in a more AI-orientated direction.
"If you look at how media has been impacted in the last 10 years by the introduction of digital technology, what will happen in the next 10 years will be 10 times as great — literally," he said at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum. He also said that in "the good old days," animations took around 500 artists over five years to complete, but he predicts that in a few years, "it won't take 10 percent of that."
Obviously, this caused some backlash, especially among the recent AI concerns that prompted the 2023 Writers and Actors strikes. We don't know what this will mean for Shrek 5 specifically, but we're hoping that the hard work of animators will be put front and center.
Who's in the Shrek 5 cast?
Original stars Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz are likely to return for Shrek 5, and are currently in talks to reprise their roles.
The most important question about this new Shrek movie is whether DreamWorks and Illumination are bringing the original cast back to reprise their roles from the best movies in the franchise.
In April 2023, Chris Meledandri said the original voice actors are a "huge part" of his plans, and that negotiations have started. Thankfully, Mike Myers is ready to jump back into the role, as the star has said he'd love to do a Shrek movie every year. Eddie Murphy is also fully on board, saying he would "do it in two seconds" if he was asked to come back as Donkey.
The Shrek movies are known for incorporating fairytale characters, usually putting on creative, modern takes on classic legends. With this in mind, we fully expect plenty of new cast members to join as previously unexplored fairytale heroes and heroines, with some celebrity voices to match.
Here's the expected Shrek 5 cast list:
- Mike Myers as Shrek
- Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots
- Eddie Murphy as Donkey
- Cameron Diaz as Princess Fiona
- Julie Andrews as The Queen
- Conrad Vernon as Gingerbread Man
- Cody Cameron as Pinocchio and Three Little Pigs
- Christopher Knights as Three Blind Mice
- Aron Warner as Big Bad Wolf
What will Shrek 5 be about?
Shrek 5 will likely continue to explore the married life of Shrek and Fiona, as well as the lives of their storybook friends. There will almost certainly be a classic fairytale baddie as well.
The task of reinventing Shrek falls to screenwriter Michael McCullers, who's previously worked on Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Thunderbirds, and The Boss Baby. He could always go for the legacy sequel approach… Shrek: The Swamp Awakens? Shresurrections? Shrek: 2049? Shrek & Donkey Face the Swamp?
Ultimately, one of the things that's always made Shrek great is its memorable villains. Lord Farquaad, Fairy Godmother, and Prince Charming have all been integral parts of the franchise. (No, we're not going to mention Rumpelstiltskin) We think there will be a brand new fairytale baddie this time, and we've got some ideas…
Which fairytale creature will be the villain in Shrek 5?
We think an Evil Queen or Wicked Stepmother could be the villain of Shrek 5, though the Ugly Duckling would be an unexpected choice too.
Looking at the other famous fairytale villains of old, we'd probably be willing to put money down on an Evil Queen, a witch, or a wicked stepmother-type character to take the antagonistic reigns on this one. It seems absurd that they haven't done this already.
However, Shrek 5 could also take a more left-field approach. We think the story of the Ugly Duckling could make for a fascinating villain story and allow the team at DreamWorks to flex their character design muscles and eye for the grotesque. If everyone thought you were ugly and ridiculed you for it, you might well become one of the best movie villains too.
Is there a Shrek 5 trailer?
We estimate that a Shrek 5 trailer should arrive in early 2025 if everything goes to plan.
Basically, we won't be seeing anything until the animation has been done and the voiceover work has been completed. In the meantime, here's something you'll want to forget straight after watching it: an utterly horrific early animation test for Shrek.
Where can I watch Shrek 5?
Shrek 5 will likely have a grand theatrical release when it comes out.
The Shrek franchise is scattered across several of the best streaming services. In the USA, Shrek and Shrek 2 are available via Hulu and Peacock, while Shrek the Third and Shrek Forever After do not have a streaming home, but are available for digital rental and purchase along with the other movies on Amazon Prime.
While we wait for more news, you can read our writer's take on what Puss in Boots The Last Wish taught me about anxiety and take a look at why Mike Myers' kids really don't like Shrek. Oh, and good news: you can now rent Shrek's house on Airbnb. Yeah, you read that right.
We also have a guide breaking down the best scary movies for kids. And if you're looking for your next family fix, check out all we know about the Wish release date, Superman Legacy, and Wonka release date.