Universal Pictures shuffles its animation slate, pushing back the release of Shrek 5 to December 23, 2026. This move allows Minions 3, a spin-off from the Despicable Me franchise, to maintain its original July 1, 2026 release date, capitalizing on the lucrative Independence Day box office.

Variety reports that this scheduling change positions Minions 3 for a traditional summer blockbuster run, while Shrek 5 aims for the strong holiday season box office. The highly anticipated sequel, marking the franchise's return after a 16-year hiatus, was initially announced in 2016 but experienced a period of development silence. However, Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri confirmed its active development in 2023, alongside hints of a potential Donkey spin-off.

Eddie Murphy, the voice of Donkey, further solidified the project's progress last year, confirming recording sessions and expressing optimism for both Shrek 5 and a standalone Donkey film. "We started doing [Shrek 5] months ago," he stated. "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."

Shrek 5's release will coincide with the 25th anniversary of the original Shrek film, which premiered in 2001. The franchise includes sequels Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek the Third (2007), and Shrek Forever After (2010). The popular Puss in Boots spin-off series also boasts two successful installments, the first in 2011 and the critically acclaimed Puss in Boots: The Last Wish in 2022, which received a 9/10 rating from IGN. IGN praised the film for its "stunning animation with a poignant, surprisingly mature story," calling it "the Shrek franchise's answer to Logan we didn't know we needed."