“They Ruined Shrek!” Shrek 5’s New Animation Style Sparks a Heated Fan Debate

The beloved Shrek franchise has recently unveiled a teaser for its 5th installment, but instead of universal excitement, the internet is abuzz with controversy over the characters’ new looks. The teaser showcases Shrek, Donkey, Princess Fiona, and introduces Felicia, Shrek and Fiona’s now-teenage daughter voiced by Zendaya. However, it’s the noticeable alterations in the animation style that have fans divided.

Shrek and Fiona’s glow-up (or glow-down?)

In the teaser, the familiar characters gather around a golden magic mirror, engaging in their signature playful banter. Yet, fans were quick to point out that Shrek and Fiona’s appearances seem markedly different from previous films.

“They ruined Shrek 😭” said one passionate Facebook user. Observations include changes to their nose shapes, longer philtrums, and larger eyes, resulting in fans urging the studio to just “cancel the whole thing at this point.”

The backlash has been swift and vocal. Universal Pictures even disabled comments on the teaser’s YouTube release.

Discussions have been fervent all over social media. One Reddit user remarked, “I don’t see it. They look like they’re in an Illumination movie (derogatory).”

Donkey’s new do.

If fans were upset about Shrek and Fiona, Donkey’s redesign only fuelled the fire. His iconic, slightly wonky charm has been replaced with a sleeker, more expressive face that some say lacks the personality of the original. “Shrek isn’t even the worst of it, poor donkey barely got any hair now,” one Facebook user commented.

On Reddit, one fan stated, “I’m fine with Shrek and Fiona, they look like a natural age progression of the characters. Can’t really get behind Donkey though, he’s too iconic to change and he looks too different. Can’t even put my finger on what it is, he just looks like a different Donkey.”

Is this another Sonic mishap?

Fans have drawn parallels to past animation controversies, notably the initial design of Sonic the Hedgehog, which was so poorly received that it prompted a complete redesign before the film’s release. Some are pleading for similar revisions for Shrek 5, fearing that the beloved series has been compromised by these changes.

There’s still time for a redo.

Despite the uproar, some fans are reserving judgment, hoping that the final product will capture the magic of the original films. With Shrek 5 slated for a Christmas 2026 release, only time will tell if DreamWorks will heed the feedback and make adjustments or stay the course with their current vision.

Did you know Shrek was inspired by a real person? You can read all about it in this article.