“Gonna be the busiest year for animation ever”: Shrek 5 Delay Won’t Break Your Heart When You Realize 4 Legendary Animation Franchises Are Packing Serious Heat in 2026

SUMMARY

• Shrek 5's release has been delayed from July 2026 to December 23, 2026.
• The delay is disappointing for fans, but other animated movies scheduled for release in 2026 seem to make up for it.
• The 2026 release calendar includes Toy Story 5, Minions 3, Ice Age 6, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2.

Delays and setbacks are a part of the creative process of filmmaking, but that doesn’t stop them from stinging any less. This is why the news that Shrek 5 has been postponed is heartbreaking. This said flick would serve as the fifth installment in the fan-favorite animated film series, and was previously expected to hit the screens by next year, i.e. 2026.

A still from the Shrek film series. | Credits: Universal Pictures.

It has been years since the Green Ogre graced his presence on the screens with something new, so the anticipation and excitement surrounding the same’s release was pretty high as well. But while the delay is disappointing, four other legendary animation franchises seem to make up for it as they seem to be packing series heat with their releases for 2026 in Shrek 5‘s stead.

Shrek 5 is delayed, but these 4 other flicks might make up for it

A still from the Shrek film series. | Credits: Universal Pictures.

Ever since it was announced, Shrek 5 has been greatly awaited by fans worldwide, especially so since it has been more than a decade and a half since the release of its predecessor, 2010’s Shrek Forever After (not to mention the Halloween horror comedy television special from 2010, Scared Shrekless). But there’s some disappointing news: Its release has been postponed.

According to the latest reports from Deadline, Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation’s forthcoming fifth installment in the Shrek films series is now expected to open in theatres worldwide on Wednesday, December 23, 2026. It was previously expected to be released a few months earlier than this new release date, on July 1, 2026.

But while the franchise has pushed forward with the flick’s release date, one other franchise has pulled back with its release: Despicable Me. As it turns out, the studio has moved up Illumination’s Minions 3 release date, which is now expected to hit the screens on Shrek 5‘s previous July 2026 date instead of its originally planned release on June 30, 2027.

Additionally, for 2027, another untitled Illumination event movie has been postponed, going from its original release date of March 19, 2027, to that of Minions 3‘s original release date of June 30, 2027. However, while this film is expected to make headlines in 2027, there are three other franchises that have their projects scheduled for a 2026 release.

A still from the Minions film series. | Credits: Illumination.

For one, there’s 20th Century Studios’ Ice Age 6, the sixth installment in the film series, which is currently scheduled to be released in the United States on December 18, 2026. Then there’s also the fifth installment in the Toy Story film series, Pixar Animation Studios’ Toy Story 5, which is currently scheduled to be released in theatres in the United States on June 19, 2026.

Besides all of these above-listed pieces from all those massively fan-favorite multi-billionaire animated franchises, there’s another flick that made a tremendous splash in 2023 which is expected to get its sequel in the upcoming year: The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Turns out, this untitled second movie in the film series is currently scheduled to premiere on April 3, 2026.

Here’s a quick look at all those 2026-scheduled animated releases:

All of this being said, it’s inevitable that even though the fifth film in the Shrek film series may have been further delayed for a few months, the 2026 release calendar is still jam-packed with numerous other animated pieces. So fans need to rest reassured, for the fun and excitement won’t be getting delayed in the forthcoming year.

Shrek 5‘s delay is disappointing, but fans are all set for the other 2026 releases

A still from the Shrek film series. | Credits: Universal Pictures.

On the one hand, while the further delay in Shrek 5‘s release is disappointing fans, it seems to have been made up for with the release schedule of all the other animated movies for 2026. Thus, taking to Reddit, fans are expressing their excitement at this upcoming year preparing itself to probably be the busiest year for animation ever.

Here’s a sneak peek into what they’re saying:

To put it in a nutshell, 2026 is, unarguably, all set to be a good year for all those animation movie buffs out there, considering how five of the greatest and most fan-beloved animation franchises of all time are prepared to make their splash in the said year!

Written by Mahin Sultan

Articles Published: 1830