Zendaya Joins Shrek 5 Cast as Shrek's Daughter with Mike Myers and Cameron Diaz

Image credits: Universal Pictures

The upcoming installment of the Shrek franchise, Shrek 5, has officially announced its release date with a first-look teaser, featuring a star-studded cast, including Zendaya, Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz. The film is set to hit theaters on Christmas 2026, marking the first main series installment since Shrek Forever After in 2010. Zendaya will play the role of Felicia, one of Shrek and Fiona's triplets, who were first introduced in the third movie, Shrek the Third.

The teaser trailer showcases the film's humor and meme culture, with Donkey asking the magic mirror, "Who's the fairest of them all?" The mirror responds with a series of images of Shrek, including one with abs, which prompts Felicia to react in disgust, saying, "Ew, dad." The trailer also features Pinocchio making a brief appearance, with his nose growing as he denies creating the doctored images of Shrek. The film's new animation style has sparked mixed reactions from fans, with some finding the characters' aged appearance, including Shrek's forehead wrinkles and Donkey's greying fur, disturbing.

Despite the mixed reactions, the news of Shrek's revival has left fans ecstatic, and the addition of Zendaya to the cast has generated significant buzz. The 28-year-old actress has a busy schedule, with upcoming projects including a third installment of Dune, Euphoria season three, and potentially reprising her role as MJ in the new Spider-Man film. Shrek 5 will be directed by Walt Dohrn, who has a long history with the franchise, having worked on Shrek 2, Shrek the Third, and Shrek Forever After.

The Shrek franchise has maintained a significant presence in popular culture since the last film's release in 2010, with the characters featuring in various memes, funny videos, and lip sync trends on TikTok. The film's teaser trailer has doubled down on this meme culture, showcasing a greatest hits of the ogre-ification of the internet. With the casting announcement and teaser trailer, fans are eagerly anticipating the film's release and the next installment in the Far Far Away fairytale.

As the release date approaches, fans can expect more updates and sneak peeks into the world of Shrek 5. The film's cast, including Zendaya, Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz, is set to bring the beloved characters back to life, and the new animation style, although divisive, is sure to generate significant discussion. With its unique blend of humor, meme culture, and beloved characters, Shrek 5 is shaping up to be a highly anticipated release, and fans won't have to wait much longer to experience it on the big screen, with the film set to open in theaters on Christmas 2026, featuring a star-studded cast and a new animation style that is sure to delight and divide audiences.