Summary
I can finally breathe a sigh of relief—Shrek 5is officially happening. The lastShrekmovie,Shrek Forever After, was released in 2016, and though there had been talk of another sequel even back then, it seemed as if it would never actually happen. Talk and speculation were the extent of it, and I admit, I had begun to give up all hope. However, DreamWorks has finally pulled through, confirmingShrek 5with a release date and everything.
Shrekgot its start with the first film in 2001, and the franchise continued to dominate through the next decade. DreamWorks remained consistent with a newShrekmovie every three years.Shrek 2hit theaters in 2004,Shrek the Thirdfollowed a few years later in 2007, andShrek Forever Aftercontinued the trend by releasing in 2010. Unfortunately, this is where the breaks were put on.DreamWorks hinted that theShrekfranchisewould continue, and the cast remained steadfast in their willingness to return. However, the years rolled on with very little word on the subject—until now.
Shrek 5: Release Date, Cast, Trailer & Everything We Know
The long-gestating Shrek 5 is finally getting underway, and there are already a ton of exciting updates concerning the big green ogre’s return.
Shrek 5’s Confirmation Ends Any Doubt About The Sequel’s Status
We Have Our Definitive Answer At Long Last
DreamWorks announcedShrek 5in the best way possible. A short video was posted to the company’s officialTwitteraccount featuring a bouncing, green number five sporting Shrek’s iconic ears, with the song “All-Star” by Smash Mouth, a number heavily associated with the firstShrekmovie, playing out over the clip. The post came with the confirmation that Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz would all be returning to take on their beloved roles. Even a release date was included.Shrek 5is slated to hit theaters August 09, 2025—16 years afterShrek Forever After.
Why Shrek 5 Took So Long To Happen
Shrek 5 Is Arriving 16 Years After Shrek Forever After
By the timeShrek 5hits theaters, I will have waited 16 years for the sequel. There had consistently been talk of the film, allowing me to maintain a sliver of hope that it would one day happen, but it seems thatDreamWorks got stuck with the project in development hell. Of course, the same was true for the spinoff sequel,Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. The movie had been announced in 2012 but didn’t release until a decade later, in 2022. OnceThe Last Wishfinally made it out to the public, I understood why it had taken so long. The animation was simply stunning.
DreamWorks may have been holding off on Shrek 5 until the masterpiece that was thePuss in Bootssequel had time to release and settle.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wishwas surprisingly groundbreaking, featuring the 2.5-D animation style that has since become highly popular. DreamWorks may have been holding off onShrek 5until the masterpiece that was thePuss in Bootssequel had time to release and settle. It’s alsopossible that the studio plans similar innovations for this next installment in the franchise. While 2.5-D animation might not fit with Shrek’s story (it works best with comic-style action sequences), we can likely expect something spectacular in the way of 3D animation or a fully reimagined story.
DreamWorks might have been waiting for the firstShrekmovie’s 25th anniversary to releaseShrek 5.
Waiting For Shrek 5 Only Made Me Want The Sequel More
DreamWorks Is In The Prime Position For A Nostalgic & Triumphant Return To Shrek
It’s also possible thatDreamWorks held off onShrek 5to build fan anticipation. If this is the case, it certainly worked for me. After all these years,Shrek’s cult-classic status has only grown, especially as nostalgia for the early 2000s has begun to take over popular culture. When this next installment releases in 2026, it will have been 25 years—a quarter century—since the first movie. For many of us, the music and quotes fromShrekare staples of our childhoods. Today’s young audiences will surely loveShrek 5, butit will mean something different to us Millenials who grew up with Shrek.
For many of us, the music and quotes from Shrek are staples of our childhoods.
It certainly seems that DreamWorks is astutely aware of this. The use of the iconic Smash Mouth song in theShrek 5announcement video is a sign that the coming film will be leaning into its roots. I expect nostalgia galore, only increased by the long wait between this film and the previous one. After a 16-year wait, we are geared and ready to hit theaters for what is sure to be something of an reboot rather than a standard sequel. The story might move forward, butthe tone ofShrek 5is sure to take us back to 2001. I can’t deny I’m pretty pumped for it.
Shrek
Cast
A solitary ogre named Shrek embarks on a quest to rescue Princess Fiona from a dragon-guarded castle. Accompanied by Donkey Shrek sets out to fulfill a bargain with Lord Farquaad.
