Universal Pictures Adjusts Animation Schedule: 'Minions 3' Moves Up, 'Shrek 5' Delayed

Universal Pictures changed its animation schedule on Friday by moving the release dates for two of its most popular franchises. ‘Minions 3’ will come out earlier than planned, and ‘Shrek 5′ has been pushed back to the winter holidays of 2026.

The intended release date for “Minions 3” was June 30, 2027, but it will now be July 1, 2026. This move puts it during the busy Independence Day weekend. The choice came after the huge success of the Despicable Me franchise. It has made over $5 billion at the box office worldwide, making it the highest-grossing animated film series ever.

The creative people of the first two films will return to the third Minions film. You can count on Pierre Coffin to return as the movie’s director and to voice the famous yellow figures. Brian Lynch wrote the script. He is known for writing “The Secret Life of Pets.” The movie is also being worked on by producers Chris Meledandri and Bill Ryan, who were successful with “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.”

“Shrek 5,” on the other hand, will be released on December 23, 2026, rather than in the summer. It’s smart to time this with the 25th anniversary of popular series. Mike Myers as Shrek, Eddie Murphy as Donkey, and Cameron Diaz as Fiona will reprise their roles in the new film. Brad Ableson will help direct along with Walt Dohrn and Conrad Vernon.

Universal has faith in both brands, as shown by this change in the schedule. The movies in the Despicable Me series have always done well at the box office. In 2024, its most recent movie, “Despicable Me 4,” made $969 million worldwide. The original “Minions” film made $1.159 billion worldwide, and its follow-up, “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” did even better, making $940.2 million worldwide. This shows how successful the Minions spinoff series has been.

Universal also said that an unnamed Illumination project would replace the now-empty June 30, 2027, release date. This ensures that the studio stays strong in the summer animation market, strengthening Illumination’s position as the leader during Independence Day.

Universal’s animation business is looking strong in 2026. The sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie will be released on April 3, followed by Minions 3 in July and Shrek 5 to end the year. Industry sources anticipate more announcements later this year despite the fact that no animated releases have been scheduled for 2025.

There aren’t any details about the story of Minions 3 yet. However, the series’ strong history and the return of familiar creative talent keep expectations high for another successful f