The first teaser of Shrek 5 fell into a mixed reception. Fans are excited to see their beloved characters return to screen, but the updated animation style has sparked controversy, with some celebrating the advances in CGI, while others criticizing the character’s redesign.
First look
The 27-second teaser reintroduces adult Felicia, one of Shrek and Fiona’s children, to the franchise’s central trio, Shrek, Donkey and Princess Fiona. The clip also confirmed that Zendaya was cast as Felicia’s voice and joined actors Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy who posted the voices.
The teaser takes a playful approach, featuring characters gathered around the Magic Mirror, and the famous “Who is the fairest of them?” question by declaring Shrek the most fair. The clip then presents a series of Shrek themed internet memes.
A divisive redesign
Shrek is one of the most iconic franchises in animation, but the change has not changed without resistance. At the time of writing, the thumb down ratio for YouTube videos under Universal Pictures’ official channel is certainly 173,000 Up and 447,000 Down. Comments are also turned off.
The character’s design has received noticeable updates, with some fans expressing disappointment at the facial features and overall aesthetics. Critics of the new look described it as “disrespectful to the original art style” and likened it to the AI-generated interpretation of Shrek 5.
Oli Hyatt, an animation expert who heads animation at Studio Blue Zoo in the UK, focuses on debate, noting that there is often a “instant response” from fans as beloved franchises evolve. “The generation of children Shrek returned (when it was released in 2001) is now adults,” he told BBC News. Usually there’s the feeling of “This isn’t something I knew” or “I want an old show that I remember.” ”
He added: If they (producers) have the script right and the characters right, people will still love it, it’s still a great franchise. ”
And now we’re waiting
There is still plenty of time for DreamWorks to reveal more about the highly anticipated sequel. Once the film arrives, it remains to be seen whether the animation style will continue to be a point of attachment or fade to the background. One thing is certain, Shrek’s return is already making waves, proving that the franchise is still culturally relevant as ever.
Directors Shrek 5, Walt Dohrn (Trolls), Conrad Vernon (Shrek 2), and Brad Ableson (Minions: The Rise of Gru) line up for a US theatrical release on December 23, 2026.
Dreamworks
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