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Animation lovers, rejoice!Shrekis coming back to the big screensin late 2026. This DreamWorks franchise is easily one of the most popular animated properties of this century. So a new film should have united fans both young and old, right? Right? Not exactly,as all anyone can talk about online is the new design of the charactersinShrek 5. It’s difficult to define just what exactly is upsetting fans, but it mostly boils down to Shrek looking “different.”
Shrek’s 2020s Makeover for ‘Shrek 5’
Shrekis a staple of American pop culture and arguably the most well-known non-Disney animated property. 2010’sShrek Forever Afterwas billed as the final chapter, and for many years, it was. There were always rumblings of a fifth film, but nothing concrete.Shrek 5was formally announcedin July 2024, with Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz reprising their roles. Fans got their first look at the new film when a 15-second teaser dropped in February. The reactions to it were… we’ll say “less than thrilled.”
The teaser sees Shrek and Donkey talk to the Magic Mirror, who shows them some of the Internet’s most famous Shrek memes. Fiona enters, followed by the couple’s now-teenage daughter (voiced bynew cast member Zendaya).The characters' redesigns were immediately torn apart. The animation appeared smoother, with the characters redesigned to be more expressive. They were more ‘cartoony,’ with bigger eyes and slicker designs that contrasted with the understated and well-rounded looks of the original.
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Donkey, in particular, was slammed for looking far older and haggard than before. To be fair, he does look older, but so does everyone else. It’s been more than 15 years, and not every animated movie keeps its characters perpetually the same age.Aging in real time can actually be a refreshing shake-up that allows for more growth.
But still, fans weren’t happy.The Godfather’s “look how they massacred my boy” meme circulated all over social media. The officialSonic the Hedgehogmovie TikTok accounteven shaded the change. Of course, Sonic himself was subject to a much-maligned redesign prior to the 2020 film. That outcry was so significant that it led to a full reversal of the hedgehog’s “human-like” update. Could that happen for Shrek? It’s not likely, as the entire film is CGI, whereas Sonic’s was live-action. There’s no denying the change in design, but saying the whole movie should be scrapped is a bit overboard.The newShrekmovie still has a lot going for it.
The Positive Side of Shrek’s Redesign
For starters,the original cast and crew are returning. Myers, Murphy, and Diaz are reprising their roles. Walt Dohrn, who worked as a writer and voice actor on the previous three films, is co-directing alongside DreamWorks mainstay andShrek 2director Conrad Vernon. These people have worked withShrekfor decades, so the film is in good hands.
The new animation is not unique here either, as DreamWorks has been using the updated MoonRay program since 2019’sHow to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. MoonRay gives animators greater control over lighting, textures, and models. However, this isn’t even the first time theShrekfranchise has made a drastic shift. 2022’sPuss in Boots: The Last Wishadopted the new animation style, and there was no fan outcry. It even received thebest critical reviewsof any of theShrekfilms.
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The new models weren’t the only source of ire. Some fans slammed the teaser for featuring memes and TikTok trends. That can be cringey, butShrekhas always focused heavily on pop culture. The original movies referenced films and shows likeThe Matrix, The Dating Game, Cops, Babe, Mission: Impossible, Alien, Seinfeld, and more. Countless other one-liners referenced cultural milestones, too.Shrekreferences what’s current, and in the 2020s, that’s memes and TikTok. If TikTok had existed in the 2000s, the original flicks would have incorporated it. And even though memes are in the teaser, that doesn’t mean they’ll be a major component of the movie.Embracing their own memes actually demonstrates a nice bit of self-awareness, showing thatShrekis still in touch with our media landscape.
Shrek’s animation has always pushed the boundaries of animation technology. Those of you who remember the 2001 original, think of that time. The CGI animation was incredible to witness. Back then, CGI was brand new, and it had been just six years since the first full-length CG film (Toy Story). But watching the originalShrekagain, it’s clear that the animation shows its age. What was groundbreaking then is outdated now.
Even the subsequent three films are products of their time, as they did not make any major stylistic shifts from the original. However, the technology of the 2020s allows for more experimentation with what animation can do, andShrekis at the forefront of this shift. If anything, changing the designs shows that the animators are in touch with modern trends and want to keepShrekas relevant as possible. But some fans won’t be swayed by any of this and still demand a change back to the original style. To be fair, at least wait for more than a15-second teaserbefore making any final judgments.Shrek 5is scheduled to release on July 09, 2025.
