The teaser for Shrek 5 dropped on June 16, 2026, previewing the first new Shrek film since 2010.
DreamWorks adopted a more detailed, realistic look that many fans compared unfavourably with the original's distinctive ugliness.
Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz reprise their roles, joined by Zendaya, Marcello Hernández and Skyler Gisondo as the ogre couple's three children.
Most sources point to June 30, 2027, while one lists December 23, 2026; the film had previously slipped from an earlier target.
A scene of the Gingerbread Man having his gumdrop-glazed rear slapped and exclaiming 'I'm caked up like a freaking bakery' went viral on social media.
The first teaser for Shrek 5 was released by DreamWorks Animation and Universal Pictures on June 16, 2026, a year ahead of the film's planned arrival. The one-and-a-half-minute preview gives a glimpse of Shrek, Donkey, and Princess Fiona embarking on a new journey, this time joined by their three children, Felicia, Fergus, and Farkle.
Donkey interrupts a storybook recap to announce a makeover, a meta nod to the altered visual style. The footage then cuts through a series of set pieces, including a creepy snowman parody of Disney's Frozen, a train made of barrels, and a fairy-powered police wagon, before ending with the family (minus Felicia) locked in a jail cell while Donkey hums Baby Come Back and Roxanne.
The most discussed element is the new animation. DreamWorks has moved away from the deliberately unpolished, angular style of the early 2000s films to a more detailed, textured look that several critics described as resembling Illumination's Mario movie or AI-generated knockoffs.
“Cette première bande annonce offre un aperçu du relooking extrême des personnages principaux opéré par Dreamworks. Pour coller à l'évolution de la technologie, le studio a abandonné l'animation 3D très lisse et épurée des premiers volets pour un style beaucoup plus détaillé, texturé et réaliste.”
Reactions were mixed. Some outlets praised individual creative touches, while others argued the revamp loses the "genuinely strange and thoughtfully ugly" quality that distinguished the original.
Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz all return to their iconic roles. Zendaya joins as daughter Felicia, with Saturday Night Live's Marcello Hernández and Skyler Gisondo (Superman) voicing sons Fergus and Farkle. Directing are Walt Dohrn and Conrad Vernon, alongside co-director Brad Ableson. Michael McCullers wrote the script from a story by Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri, who produces with Gina Shay.
Eddie Murphy told The Hollywood Reporter last year that recording Donkey is physically demanding: "You have a headache after a Shrek session. The donkey has a lot of singing. You're on 10, and you're doing it over and over again."
Most outlets list Shrek 5 for June 30, 2027, targeting the Fourth of July weekend. One report, however, cites a December 23, 2026 release date. DreamWorks had previously teased the project on social media in 2024, and the film endured delays before settling on the mid-2027 window.
The franchise's four theatrical films have earned more than $2.9 billion worldwide, according to Universal, and spawned the Puss in Boots spin-offs. The original Shrek premiered in May 2001; the last main entry, Shrek Forever After, arrived in 2010.
True to the series' DNA, the teaser packs in fairy-tale satire and pop-culture barbs. A standout moment features the Gingerbread Man declaring "I'm caked up like a freaking bakery" after two gingerbread ladies slap his gumdrop-filled backside, a gag that quickly circulated on social media. A snowman with a deep voice asks in Spanish, "¿Quieres salir con un muñeco de nieve?" ("Do you want to go out with a snowman?"), a direct dig at Frozen.
“It's really happening. Shrek and Donkey, two stalwart friends off on another whirlwind, big-city adventure.”
The teaser ends on an uncertain note with the jail scene, leaving the plot largely under wraps beyond the promise of a chaotic family road trip.
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Universal Pictures unveiled the first trailer for Shrek 5 on Tuesday, showing a revamped animation style that sparked debate as the franchise prepares its first theatrical outing since 2010.
AI text based on reports by Deadline, Vulture, The Hollywood Reporter and other publishers. Published .