It’s been over a year since Shrek 5 was officially announced and, up until this point, it seemed the eponymous ogre’s next big-screen outing would open as part of the 2026 movie schedule. However, that will no longer be the case, as the animated legacy sequel has officially been delayed. On the one hand, this development means the film will no longer be released in proximity to the massive Marvel team-up film, Avengers: Doomsday. Yet Shrek is now going up against another major superhero follow-up at the box office.
Originally, the highly anticipated Shrek 5 was set to be released on July 1, 2026, but it was later pushed to December 23 of that same year. According to Variety, though, Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation have now pushed the animated flick again and, now, it’s set to hit cinemas on June 30, 2027. As of this writing, neither of the studios behind the fairy tale-infused film have given an official reason as to why it’s been delayed.
With its December release, the Walt Dohrn and Conrad Vernon-helmed animated movie would’ve opened less than two weeks after Avengers: Doomsday. That Marvel Studios flick is opening on December 18, 2026. So to say that the latest Shrek film was going to be released in the shadow of another cinematic giant would be a massive understatement. While the Mike Myers-led flick now has some breathing room, its new date puts it less than a week out from Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’s June 25, 2027 date.
A number of upcoming superhero movies are currently on the docket, and that speaks to the tentpole-laden landscape in Hollywood. Comic book-based fare isn’t all I’m referring to either. Major animated IPs are also in play, and it’s not uncommon for them to be released during the summer or at the end of a calendar year. Case in point, Ice Age 6 is also set to be released in December 2026. Also, as a result of the big green ogre’s flick being shifted, Universal moved up an Illumination film that was originally set to open in June 2027.
The field may be packed, but Shrek 5 is still a powerful title in and of itself, and it has sparked plenty of conversations over the past year. A first look at the movie was released this past February and, while it was met with some positive responses, others expressed disappointment. What seemed to rub some longtime fans the wrong way were the updated designs for the characters, such as Fiona and Donkey. Despite the uproar, some people are of the belief that fans are overreacting.
Plot details on the fantastical romp have been locked up tighter than Old Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard. What is known is that Mike Meyers will be joined by returning cast members like Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy. Also, Zendaya is joining the cast as Shrek and Fiona’s now-young adult daughter, Felicia.
What shouldn’t be surmised from his latest delay is that Universal no longer has faith in one of its most storied IPs. In fact, it was recently revealed that a film centered on Eddie Murphy’s Donkey had been greenlit. I remain curious as to what lies ahead in the upcoming fifth film in the main series of the animated franchise And, of course, I’m already curious as to how it’ll fare at the box office due to being released so close to Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.
The first three films in the Shrek franchise are currently available to stream with a Peacock subscription. As for the fourth film, that can be accessed with the use of an HBO Max subscription.
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