Shrek 5: the gang’s all here with the sequel set for a 2026 release

Last Updated on July 11, 2024

It’s been rumoured for a while now, but it looks like a fifth Shrek film is officially in the works. It’s set for a Summer 2026 release date (the 25th anniversary of the original film) , with original cast members Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy all confirmed. Murphy himself, in the press lead-up to Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, revealed that some recording had already been done for the film and that his character, Donkey, is set for his own spinoff movie.  Dreamworks made the official Shrek 5 announcement via X.

The last official Shrek movie, Shrek Forever After, came out way back in 2010 and proved to be the lowest-grossing entry into the saga, still earning a muscular $238 million domestically and another $500 million overseas. However, two Puss in Boots spinoffs have since come out, keeping the franchise alive. The last one, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, was a surprise hit in 2022, with it making $186 million domestically, despite movies, on the whole, not doing well that holiday season. It also made another $295 million internationally, so there’s still an appetite for the franchise.

Only Eddie Murphy has kept a high profile in the years since the final Shrek movie. He has experienced a nice comeback with Dolemite is My Name, Coming 2 America, and Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, which just topped the Netflix charts. Cameron Diaz retired in 2014 following her role in the remake of Annie but has recently been lured out of retirement for the Netflix action comedy Back in Action. Mike Myers also kept a low profile. Outside of small parts in Bohemian Rhapsody and Amsterdam, he did the limited Netflix series The Pentaverate.

While it’s been long since the last Shrek movie, legacy sequels, particularly animated ones, tend to do very well. Heck, Kung Fu Panda 4, despite an eight-year hiatus, was huge, while Inside Out 2, after nine years, ranks as one of the biggest animated films of all time. 

Are you excited for Shrek 5? Let us know in the comments.