Universal Pictures revealed on Friday, that anticipated animated films, Shrek 5 and Minions 3, will be swapping their cinema premiere dates. DreamWorks Animation's Shrek 5 has been pushed back from July 1, 2026, to Wednesday, December 23. In contrast, Illumination's Minions 3 creeps into the summer 2026 slot, moving up from its former June 30, 2027 position. Another untitled Illumination project has also switched from its initial release date of March 19, 2027, to the aforementioned June slot.
Shrek 5's December 2026 release marks the 25th anniversary of the franchise and features original Shrek cast members, Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz, reprising their roles as Shrek, Donkey, and Fiona respectively.
The four Shrek films, initiated by the debut of Shrek in 2001 (the inaugural Oscar winner for best animated feature), have garnered a collective profit exceeding $2.9 billion globally, encouraging a world tour live show and an award-winning Broadway musical. This success also resulted in the creation of a tourist attraction in London and features in Universal Studios Parks.
The direction of Shrek 5 is in the hands of two seasoned pros of the franchise, Walt Dohrn (Shrek 2, 3, and 4, and Shrek Forever After) and Conrad Vernon (Shrek 2, Madagascar 2). The production team includes Gina Shay and Illumination founder and CEO, Chris Meledandri, with Brad Ableson as co-director.
Meanwhile, Minions 3 trails the massive success of Despicable Me 4, generating $230 million globally on the July 4 weekend as the franchise continues to reign on Independence Day. Since their inception a decade ago, the Despicable Me and Minions series have brought in approximately $5 billion at the worldwide box office.
Minions 3's script was penned by Brian Lynch, directed by Oscar-nominated Pierre Coffin, who has provided the voices for the minions since their inception in 2010. The film is produced by Meledandri alongside Bill Ryan.
