"Shrek 5 Release Delayed, Swaps Dates with Minions 3"

Universal Pictures has announced a strategic shift in its release schedule, pushing back the much-anticipated Shrek 5 to December 23, 2026. This move positions the film to capitalize on the lucrative holiday season, marking its first mainline release in 16 years. In a related development, the Despicable Me spin-off, Minions 3, will now occupy Shrek 5's original slot, premiering on July 1, 2026. This scheduling aligns with the tradition of Despicable Me films dominating the Independence Day box office.

The journey to Shrek 5 has been long and winding. Initially announced in 2016, the project went silent for several years until Chris Meledandri, CEO of Illumination, reignited interest in 2023. Alongside the announcement of Shrek 5's active development, Meledandri expressed enthusiasm for a potential Donkey spin-off. Eddie Murphy, the voice behind Donkey, confirmed the ongoing progress of Shrek 5 a year later, revealing that he had already recorded the first act. "We started doing [Shrek 5] months ago," Murphy 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."

The release of Shrek 5 will coincide with the 25th anniversary of the original Shrek film, which debuted in 2001. The franchise has since expanded with sequels Shrek 2, Shrek the Third, and Shrek Forever After, released in 2004, 2007, and 2010, respectively. Additionally, the character Puss in Boots has starred in two successful spin-offs, with the first released in 2011 and the critically acclaimed Puss in Boots: The Last Wish in 2022. The latter received glowing reviews, earning a 9/10 from IGN, which praised it as "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."