‘Minions’ Studio Chief Chris Meledandri To Produce ‘Shrek 5’

Universal has set a release date for Dreamworks Animation’s long-awaited Shrek 5: July 1, 2026. If the date holds, it would be just 12 days after Disney’s planned release of Pixar’s Toy Story 5.

In today’s announcement, Dreamworks revealed that original Shrek voice actors Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz were all returning to the project.

The new film is to be directed by Walt Dohrn, who also helmed Trolls World Tour and Trolls Band Together. A Dreamworks veteran, Dohrn has a long connection to the Shrek franchise having worked as a story artist and writer on Shrek 2 and Shrek the Third, before serving as head of story on Shrek Forever After. He is also the voice of the franchise’s Rumpelstiltskin. Brad Abelson, co-director of Minions: The Rise of Gru, will co-direct.

Gina Shay and Chris Meledandri will produce the film. Shay is another Dreamworks vet who produced Shrek Forever After, while Meledandri is the founder of Illumination, makers of Despicable Me, The Secret Life of Pets, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

Meledandri’s involvement with the Shrek franchise has been known for the last six years. His entry into the franchise was made possible after Comcast-NBCUniversal acquired Dreamworks Animation in 2016, which made Dreamworks and Illumination corporate siblings.

A proven hitmaker, Meledandri has spoken before about the big task of rebooting the Oscar-winning Shrek franchise, which had four films between 2001 and 2010, but hasn’t released a new entry in the last 14 years . “There’s a tremendous amount of fun to be had in that world, but it’s a high bar to find a story that’s truly [the] world,” he said back in 2018. “You want to find something in the narrative that really feels like a departure.”

Though Shrek production has been quiet for some time, the spinoff Puss in Boots franchise has generated two films, including the Oscar-nominated Puss in Boots: The Last Wish in 2022.