Universal Pictures has pushed back its release date for Shrek 5, moving the long-awaited sequel from December 23, 2026, to June 30, 2027. The change removes the film from a highly competitive December period that includes Avengers: Doomsday, Dune: Part III, and Ice Age 6, all scheduled to open on December 18, 2026.
In conjunction with the shift, Universal has reassigned the vacated December 2026 slot to an untitled Illumination project, now slated for April 16, 2027.
Produced by Universal and DreamWorks Animation, Shrek 5 will be the first installment in the primary series since Shrek Forever After in 2010. The new film will be directed by Walt Dohrn and Conrad Vernon, joined by Brad Ableson, co-director of Minions: The Rise of Gru. Gina Shay and Illumination founder Chris Meledandri will produce.
Chris Meledandri’s association with the Shrek franchise has been established for several years now, following Comcast-NBCUniversal’s 2016 acquisition of DreamWorks Animation. The deal brought DreamWorks and Illumination under the same corporate umbrella, enabling his direct involvement with the property.
The Shrek 5 voice cast includes returning leads Mike Myers (Shrek), Eddie Murphy (Donkey), and Cameron Diaz (Princess Fiona), with Zendaya joining as the daughter of Shrek and Fiona.
Adapted from William Steig’s 1990 book, Shrek debuted in 2001 and was awarded the first-ever Academy Award for best animated feature. The original film and its sequels became cultural touchstones and spawned two Puss in Boots spin-off features, plus an upcoming Donkey film, recently unveiled by Eddie Murphy.
The revised release strategy positions Shrek 5 to benefit from the summer family audience window, traditionally one of the strongest periods for franchise animated features. The move underscores Universal’s intent to maximize theatrical performance while avoiding a crowded end-of-year marketplace.