Shrek 5's First Look Announced A Shocking Cast Addition While Leaning Into Chaotic Memes, And The Fans Fittingly Responded With More Chaotic Memes

It's been a long wait since Puss In Boots: The Last Wish teased the return of the Shrek franchise, but now we finally have the first look at the return to the magical land of Far Far Away. Shrek 5 just shared its first footage, showcasing a surprising A-lister involved and it leaned into the character's online meme presence in a way fans loved.

The scene opens with Donkey asking the Magic Mirror who the fairest of them all is, and shortly after learning it's Shrek, both characters regret asking the question. We then see Fiona, Pinocchio, and his daughter Felicia enter the picture and check out the chaotic memes that went viral on TikTok and other platforms. Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, and Eddie Murphy are reprising their roles in the Shrek 5 cast, but the big surprise is that Zendaya is also joining the ensemble!

It's fitting that the teaser referenced many iconic Shrek memes, considering the number of memes posted when it was officially given a release date a while back. For those out of the loop, the pictures shown were the funny Shrek pout with blue glasses, the bizarre TikTok filter that had a giant twerking Shrek appear wherever users filmed, and a buff Shrek that feels like a reference to an ogre parody erotic fanfiction that can easily be found on Amazon.

There were a few memes missed, but fans more than reciprocated with their own:

Plus the addition of Zendaya, which is wild, has fans meme-ing online too. We know the actress loves a meme, so she'd probably get a kick out of this fan's reaction:

There are a couple of generations of adults now that believe Shrek to be one of the best kids movies of all time, so it's no surprise there are reactions to the franchise's facelift. The gist is that many feel the redesigned characters aren't right, and they miss the classic way they all looked:

You'd think after the Sonic The Hedgehog redesign fiasco that studios would learn people don't like change, but here we go again. That said, I don't think the changes are quite as drastic as the kneejerk reactions on X imply, and that people will ultimately accept it.

Meanwhile, as some react to the animation, others continue to just meme Shrek and possibly create new memes that will go viral:

I love it. So often I think about how no one really needed to see Shrek have sequels, but the franchise did it anyway and they're all great in their own special way. Plus, as a Mike Myers fan, I'm always happy to see him back in the saddle as we continue to wait on Austin Powers 4.

So, let's not dwell on this sequel sadness, or the fact that we're all getting old:

For anyone else feeling old right now, remember that Shrek is love, and Shrek is life. Also, if you have no idea what that is in reference to, do not look it up, you're better off not knowing. Hopefully, that doesn't get a nod in Shrek 5, but given some of the past cheeky jokes made over the years, I think it's possible.

We will see how else audiences respond when we get a full trailer for Shrek 5 ahead of its release date on Christmas 2026. Continue to stick with CinemaBlend as we look at the latest romp in the fairy tale franchise, and learn all about this next adventure for the world's favorite ogre family.