The much-anticipated Shrek 5, scheduled to hit theaters in late 2026 through Universal and DreamWorks, has added another A-list star to its lineup.
On Thursday, according to an exclusive from the Hollywood Reporter, news broke that Emmy and Golden Globe winner Zendaya had joined the cast. The report states that the Euphoria and Challengers actress will play the daughter of the characters portrayed by Mike Myers and Cameron Diaz.
Complex has reached out to Zendaya’s representatives for comment. This story may be updated.
Also on Thursday, a new teaser for Shrek 5 dropped, giving fans a sneak peek at Zendaya’s c
Shrek 5 will drop 16 years after the last main installment, 2010’s Shrek Forever After. Since then, fans have enjoyed two full-length Puss in Boots spinoffs—Puss in Boots in 2011 and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish in 2022—plus a Netflix series starring the character.
Eddie Murphy is coming back for the new movie, once again bringing his iconic comedy skills to Donkey. In 2023, Murphy said he’d jump at another Shrek film “in two seconds” because he loves the character so much. The Oscar-nominated star also showed interest in a Donkey standalone project, with positive news on both fronts coming later that year from Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri.
With its Christmas 2026 release locked in, Shrek 5 might hit theaters around the same time as Euphoria‘s third (and probably final) season, which should premiere sometime next year. Production kicked off this month. Next year will also bring us Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer follow-up The Odyssey, featuring Zendaya alongside Tom Holland, whom she’s reportedly now engaged to.
Also coming up is a third Dune movie, with filming potentially beginning as early as this summer. The franchise’s second installment, Dune: Part Two, is nominated for Best Picture at this weekend’s Oscars.
