Fans Have All The Memes After Shrek 5 Is Announced: 'LET’S GOOOOOOO'

 Shrek and Donkey in Shrek.
Credit: Dreamworks Animation

It looks like 2026 might be another year of sequels. While there are certainly going to be some movies that we wish were never made (Toy Story 5, maybe?), others are getting an enthusiastic vote of confidence from fans — like the newly announced Shrek 5 — who have flooded social media with hilarious memes.

Nearly a decade and a half later, audiences are finally going to see Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey on the big screen again. The sequel can most likely be attributed to 2022’s Puss In Boots: The Last Wish, which was the lowest-grossing movie in the franchise’s history but earned high praise from fans and critics. While a new film is exciting, fans can really celebrate because the original voice cast, including Eddie Murphy, is getting back together to bring the film to life.

July 1, 2026, is a long way away in the grand scheme of movie releases, but fans are letting the date keep them from celebrating the good news. Within minutes, social media blew up green with memes and excitement flooding in for the animated fantasy film, with some even planning their strategy on getting the best seats on opening night.

The movie theater experience has changed significantly since the last time a Shrek movie was in theaters. For starters, many theaters now have reserved seating so fans won’t have to channel their inner oger for the best seats. However, they will have to start thinking about what they’re going to wear since elaborate outfits are now encouraged on opening weekends, thanks to Barbie. At least fans will have two years to plan so they can put together an iconic look like this:

The Shrek franchise has a lot of iconic moments that continue to resonate with fans decades later, including the fantastic soundtrack. It’s no surprise, then, that some chose to celebrate the news by putting on “I’m A Believer” on repeat.

As much as fans want to see a fifth installment of the franchise, some couldn’t help but poke fun at how they might look rushing to the theaters to see a movie that is generally deemed for children. While there’s nothing wrong with still loving things you did as a child, it is a funny visual to picture what the crowd on opening day might look like.

Though it’s just been confirmed, rumors had been swirling about a potential fifth installment for years, dating all the way back to 2018 when Illumination Entertainment hinted at a possible reboot. Even back then, the news excited fans, with one enthusiast, in particular, creating an entire X (formally Twitter) account dedicated to if Shrek 5 is out. For six years, the creator has been tweeting “no,” but as of July 9th, the account can officially say yes. To celebrate, they’ve started an official countdown:

Unfortunately, there’s not much news to share beyond Shrek 5’s release date, but rest assured, CinemaBlend will bring you the latest updates as soon as they come in. Meanwhile, you can stream the first four films on some of the best streaming services, including Netflix and Peacock. And don’t get too distracted with future releases that you miss out on the exciting 2024 Movie Releases coming to theaters soon.