It has been sixteen long years since we last stepped into the swamp, but our favourite green ogre is officially preparing for a return. Universal Pictures and Dreamworks Animation have just dropped the first official trailer for Shrek 5, giving us a proper look at the highly anticipated sequel a full year before it hits cinemas.
Scheduled for release on June 30, 2027, the film marks the end of a massive hiatus for the mainline franchise. For those who have been counting, the last time we saw a standalone Shrek film, the iPad had only just been invented.
While specific story details are still being tightly guarded, the new trailer gives us plenty to process. The original trio is back, with Mike Myers voicing Shrek, Cameron Diaz returning as Fiona, and Eddie Murphy providing his signature energy to Donkey. However, the days of peaceful family life in the swamp seem to be temporarily on hold. The clip reveals our protagonists travelling well beyond their usual borders to a new kingdom known as Further Further Away. It is a city that appears significantly less welcoming than the Far Far Away of previous films, culminating in Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey finding themselves locked behind bars.
The trailer also highlights a significant time jump regarding Shrek and Fiona’s family. When we last left the household in Shrek Forever After, Fiona had just given birth to triplets. Fast forward to the present day, and those babies are now fully grown adults with some very familiar Hollywood voices behind them.
Zendaya joins the franchise to voice their daughter, Felicia. Her brothers, Farkle and Fergus, will be voiced by Skyler Gisondo and Saturday Night Live star Marcello Hernandez respectively. Interestingly, Felicia is noticeably absent from the jailhouse sequence at the end of the clip, sparking immediate speculation among fans about whether she might be the one tasked with breaking her family out of confinement.
Visually, the animation style has received a noticeable modern upgrade, a change that initially divided fans when early concepts leaked, but looks remarkably polished and expressive in motion. Combined with the franchise’s trademark adult-leaning humour, the stage is set for a major cinematic event.
