The New Trailer for Shrek and Donkey Is Mind-Blowingly Detailed!

Shrek, Donkey, and the whole crew are making their return in Shrek 5, the latest installment in DreamWorks’ beloved animated series. This time, though, they’ve been given a more detailed and lifelike makeover, and I’m not sure how I feel about it.

On June 16, DreamWorks dropped the first official trailer for Shrek 5, which is set to hit theaters in summer 2027. Fair warning: there’s some gumdrop twerking in there.

I’ll admit, a few of the jokes landed for me. The snowman gag, in particular, feels quintessentially Shrek; taking a character that seems straight out of Disney and giving it a gritty twist is classic Shrek humor. I’m also curious to see what these characters have been up to in the 15+ years since Shrek Forever After released in 2010. But… I really wish they didn’t look so incredibly detailed.

Eddie Murphy’s Donkey, for instance, appears so extra furry and fluffy that he resembles an Unreal Engine 5 tech demo brought to life. Meanwhile, Mike Myers’ Shrek looks more worn out than ever, sporting a lot more facial creases and wrinkles. I miss the smooth Shrek. Where’s the smooth Shrek? I don’t need to see every pore and bump on his nose. A few are fine, but this feels excessive.

I suppose this was inevitable. As technology advances, characters can be rendered with more detail and realism. Unlike the toys in Pixar’s long-running Toy Story series, which are designed to be smooth and plastic, Shrek’s characters are meant to be real creatures made of flesh and fur within their universe. Artists and designers creating a new film in 2026 were bound to make them look a bit more lifelike. It’s a bit of a mind-bender, but I’ll get used to it. Probably.

Shrek 5 is set to hit theaters next summer. And props to DreamWorks for simply naming it Shrek 5—no subtitle, no attempts to disguise the number. I really appreciate that.