Shrek 5 Release Delayed, Swaps Dates with Minions 3

Universal Pictures has shifted the release date of Shrek 5 to December 23, 2026, while moving the Despicable Me spin-off, Minions 3, into its former slot. As reported by Variety, Minions 3 is now set to premiere on July 1, 2026, aligning with the tradition of Despicable Me films capitalizing on the Independence Day box office. Shrek 5, marking the first mainline release in the series in 16 years, will now aim for the lucrative 2026 holiday season.

Initially announced in 2016, Shrek 5 saw a quiet period until Chris Meledandri, CEO of Illumination, confirmed its active development in 2023. Alongside this announcement, Meledandri expressed interest in a Donkey spin-off. Eddie Murphy, who voices Donkey, further confirmed the progress of Shrek 5 in a subsequent year, stating, "We started doing [Shrek 5] months ago. 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 franchise's 25th anniversary, as the original Shrek film debuted in 2001. It was followed by Shrek 2 in 2004, Shrek the Third in 2007, and Shrek Forever After in 2010.

The Shrek universe has also expanded with two Puss in Boots spin-offs. The first, Puss in Boots, was released in 2011, and the sequel, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, came out in 2022 to critical acclaim, scoring a 9/10 from IGN. IGN praised it as "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish mixes stunning animation with a poignant, surprisingly mature story to deliver the Shrek franchise's answer to Logan we didn't know we needed."