Shrek 5 Release Delayed, Swaps Dates with Minions 3

Universal Pictures has shifted the release date of *Shrek 5* to December 23, 2026, while moving the *Despicable Me* spin-off, *Minions 3*, into its original slot. As reported by Variety, *Minions 3* will now premiere on July 1, 2026, continuing the tradition of the *Despicable Me* series capitalizing on the Independence Day box office. Meanwhile, *Shrek 5* is set to hit theaters during the 2026 holiday season, marking its first mainline release in 16 years.

The sequel was initially announced in 2016 but remained quiet until Chris Meledandri, CEO of Illumination, confirmed its active development in 2023, along with plans for a *Donkey* spin-off. Eddie Murphy, who voices Donkey, further affirmed the project's progress a year later, stating, "We started doing [Shrek 5] months ago. 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."

When *Shrek 5* is released, it will coincide with the 25th anniversary of the *Shrek* franchise, which began with the original film in 2001. Subsequent sequels, *Shrek 2*, *Shrek the Third*, and *Shrek Forever After*, were released in 2004, 2007, and 2010, respectively. The *Puss in Boots* character has also seen success with two spin-offs, the first in 2011 and *Puss in Boots: The Last Wish* in 2022, which received stellar reviews, including a 9/10 from IGN. "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish mixes stunning animation with a poignant, surprisingly mature story to deliver the Shrek franchise's answer to Logan we didn't know we needed," IGN stated.