This past week, fans received their first official look at Shrek 5, and their responses varied. DreamWorks Animation and Universal Pictures’ clip revealed the updated designs for the ogre and some of his allies. Some commenters seemed in favor of the alterations, while others voiced their assertion that the animators should’ve stuck with the OG designs. Various individuals and entities appear to be weighing in, and one of the latest is the team behind the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, which dropped an A+ response.
It goes without saying that the Sonic crew certainly knows what it’s like to receive backlash over a character design. Several years ago, Internet users didn’t mince words when the first trailer for the live-action trilogy’s first installment was released and revealed an altered look for the blue speedster. Considering that experience, the official TikTok account for the Sega-produced film franchise dropped a cheeky video. The brief clip provided a bit of advice for “green ogres." Check out the post, which includes a cheeky "take notes" caption:
@sonicmovie ♬ original sound - sonicmovie
As you can see, the funny video features a glimpse of the OG Sonic design, before transitioning to the altered one that was ultimately included in the finished 2020 film. I’m a person who loves the rare occasion on which a professional creative team will poke fun at a viral situation (and themselves, in the process). Kudos to whoever came up with this idea, as the video, on the surface, is relatively subtle. Yet its message and joke are certainly clear.
The backlash over Sonic’s original look was no laughing matter, at the time, though. When it came to that design, the filmmakers seemed to be going for a design that would better fit into the live-action realm. With that, the hedgehog was streamlined a bit and even given a full set of teeth. Longtime fans of the character shared visceral reactions on social media and, as a result, Paramount Pictures pushed Sonic the Hedgehog back to allow for more time to update the look. The final result was a style that was right on par with the video games.
When it comes to the upcoming Shrek 5, DreamWorks and Universal released a brief snippet, which revealed the returns of the eponymous character, Princess Fiona, their now-adolescent daughter, Felicia, and Donkey. Among the complaints were that the heads of the ogre family looked older, and many pined for the designs of the original four films. Amid the situation, a TikToker claimed to have fixed the animation, and a lot of fans seemed to love the results, based on the responses they shared on social media.
Plot details on this fifth installment in the hit franchise haven’t been revealed just yet. What is known, however, is that franchise veterans Walt Dohrn and Conrad Vernon are directing the film. Also, franchise veterans Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy are reprising their roles as Shrek, Fiona and Donkey, respectively, with Zendaya also joining the fold as Felicia. So, at the very least, there’s certainly some creative continuity behind the scenes.
In my humble opinion, the odds of the team behind the fairy tale-centric flick are probably slim. Fans are, of course, entitled to their opinions but, at the end of the day, the filmmakers have a creative vision to execute. Plus, design changes do make sense, given that nearly 15 years have passed since the fourth film (which can be streamed with a Max subscription) hit cinemas. But, regardless of whether or not the crew heeds Team Sonic’s advice, I still appreciate the chuckle-worthy TikTok message.
Shrek 5 is slated to hit theaters on December 23, 2026. In the meantime, you can stream the original three films with a Peacock subscription and the fourth installment on the aforementioned Max.
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