Universal Reveals New Redesign of Shrek Cast for ‘Shrek 5,’ Now Starring Zendaya

The first official teaser for Shrek 5 is here, and it’s…. a little strange.

In the age of seemingly never-ending reboots and revivals, few projects have managed to generate quite as much buzz as DreamWorks’ upcoming Shrek sequel. Officially confirmed last year following a wave of leaks and rumors, Shrek 5 seeks to both continue the franchise as well as introduce a whole new generation to the iconic cast of characters.

This mission is clear as day in the first official teaser for the film, which uses the Magic Mirror to parody TikTok. However, fans will immediately notice that the classic look of Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey is no more, with all three characters receiving a significant visual overhaul for the new movie.

The teaser was shared by the official Shrek Twitter/X account and has already received three million views.

Far, Far Away’s finest are coming.

Far, Far Away’s finest are coming. pic.twitter.com/7qn8FNIBT6

— Shrek (@Shrek) February 27, 2025

While brief, this new teaser shows fans what they can expect when Shrek 5 is eventually released in theaters. Originally scheduled to release on July 1, 2026, Universal decided to push the release of Shrek 5 back to December 23, 2026.

This decision was made earlier this year to accommodate for the release of Universal’s upcoming Minions sequel.

Shrek 5 will be the first mainline Shrek title to hit theaters in 16 years, serving as a direct continuation of the events of Shrek Forever After, a film released in 2010.

Initially announced back in 2016, Shrek 5 endured many issues during and after its conception. News on the film went quiet until 2023 when Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri shared an update on the project.

Renowned for its cheeky, adult-oriented humor, beautiful animation, and cast of beloved characters, the Shrek franchise has grown into a massive pop culture phenomenon that stretches far beyond the silver screen. The original Shrek was a huge success for DreamWorks and the animation industry as a whole, grossing $487 million worldwide.

At the center of it all is Mike Myers, with Shrek arguably being the actor’s most famous role, even among others like Austin Powers. Back in 2022, Myers told GQ that there had never been a better time to bring Shrek back into the forefront, given the rise in popularity of reboots and sequels.

Myers also discussed what drew him to the character in the first place, “The Euro-centric form that is the fairytale is really about classicism. “When I was approached to do ‘Shrek’ I originally did it as a Canadian and then I re-recorded it as Scottish because that seemed to be the most working class [accent].”

Are you excited about Shrek 5?