(Courtesy of DreamWorks)
The wait has finally ended!!! After over a decade of silence from DreamWorks pictures regarding the Shrek series, it is confirmed that the newest film in the franchise will be released on July 1, 2026, with a Twitter/X video confirming the news.
This is massive news to Gen-Z as Shrek has become a massive force of nature within both the meme circles and as an innocent story that we grew up with. The tale of an unlikely hero teaming up with a Donkey to save a princess was very subversive for its time, especially as the series was first created out of spite against the previous CEO of the Walt Disney Company at the time, Michael Eisner, while also winning the inaugural Academy Award for Best Animated Film.
The sequel to the first film, “Shrek 2,” was a massive success and is revered in the hearts of many in Gen-Z as a modern classic, especially due to the introduction of Antonio Banderas’s character Puss in Boots, who had his own two spin-off films and even a Netflix original television show. The third and fourth films were not as good according to critic reviews but were still a fun time in the theater and expanded on the mythos.
The better part of the news comes with the fact that the original voice actors of the series, Mike Myers as Shrek, Cameron Diaz as Fiona, and Eddie Murphy as Donkey, will be reprising their roles as the famous ogres and animals that we all have grown to love.
While there is still a long wait, many are excited to relive their childhood with this film as this has been a long time in the making. With a timeless soundtrack and many Shrek raves being extremely popular, Gen-Z will come out in droves to see the adorable ogre once again in 2026.
Zipporah Pruitt, (she/her) is an L.A. homegrown journalist, who covers entertainment and culture. Follow her on X and Instagram: @zippzine.
Edited by Nykeya Woods