Photo Credit:Associated Press
The highly anticipated fifth installment of the _Shrek_ franchise is set to hit theaters on December 23, 2026, with original cast members Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, and Eddie Murphy returning. The latest addition to the cast is Zendaya, who will voice Shrek and Fiona’s daughter.
Universal Pictures confirmed the casting in a teaser clip shared on February 27. In the video, Donkey, once again voiced by Eddie Murphy, eagerly asks the magic mirror, “Who’s the fairest of them all?” The mirror humorously responds with various versions of Shrek, including a muscular depiction that causes Zendaya’s character, Felicia, to gag while Fiona swoons over it. The clip also features Pinocchio, who denies any involvement in the bizarre images, only for his nose to grow, exposing his lie.
The _Shrek_ franchise, which debuted in 2001, has become one of the most successful animated film series of all time. The first film won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and was followed by _Shrek 2_ (2004), _Shrek the Third_ (2007), and _Shrek Forever After_ (2010). Additionally, the character Puss in Boots received two spin-offs, further expanding the franchise’s legacy.
Zendaya, one of Hollywood’s most in-demand stars, adds fresh energy to the beloved series. Her past work includes _Dune: Part Two_, _Challengers_, and the upcoming _Dune: Messiah_ and fourth _Spider-Man_ film. After news of her casting, the official _Shrek_ account resurfaced a 2017 tweet where she wrote, “I watch _Shrek_ too often in my adulthood,” adding the caption, “This aged well.”
The film is directed by _Shrek_ veterans Walt Dohrn and Conrad Vernon, alongside _Minions: The Rise of Gru_ co-director Brad Abelson. Dohrn previously contributed as a writer on _Shrek 2_ and _Shrek the Third_ and served as head of story on _Shrek Forever After_, where he also voiced Rumpelstiltskin. Vernon directed _Shrek 2_ and voices the Gingerbread Man.
