SAN FRANCISCO — Fifteen years after the last installment and nearly 25 years after “Shrek” made its big screen debut, Universal Pictures and DreamWorks have announced the cast for “Shrek 5.”
The Thursday announcement was in the form of a 30-second teaser trailer, showing viewers a glimpse at the updated animation style, main voice actors and just how up to date the movie may be when it’s released in theaters Christmas 2026.
The original Shrek cast is coming back to play, plus an A-list newcomer. Cameron Diaz will reprise her role as Princess Fiona, Mike Meyers as Shrek, Eddie Murphy as Donkey and Zendaya. According to the Hollywood Reporter, she’s playing Shrek and Fiona’s daughter.
“Far, Far Away’s finest are coming,” the official Shrek account posted to social media Thursday morning. The X post had over 11.9 million views in just a three hours.
Far, Far Away’s finest are coming. pic.twitter.com/7qn8FNIBT6
— Shrek (@Shrek) February 27, 2025
“Shrek,” set in a fairytale world, is a family friendly comedy loved by many. While many were excited about another installment of the franchise, others were quick to notice the new animation in the teaser and expressed their displeasure with it.
“The new look need some getting used to…” one user wrote, replying to the official announcement. “But hey, I’M STILL HYPED FOR IT!!”
Others made the comparison to Sonic the Hedgehog’s animation style changing after public outcry to its trailer, expressing they believe the original animation style looked better.
It’s going to happen again! pic.twitter.com/DpaoGKUkD8
— JB17⚽ (@JBoban17) February 27, 2025
The latest movie, currently only named “Shrek 5,” is directed by Walt Dohrn and Conrad Vernon. Both directors have previously worked on the Shrek franchise, and Dohrn worked on the Trolls movies while Vernon worked on the Madagascar franchise.
No details about the plot of the movie have been released.
The Shrek universe contains a total of seven movies: Soon to be five Shrek films and two Puss in Boots movies. It’s unclear if any other beloved characters will appear in the newest film.