The fans are furious! Shrek and Fiona’s new look in the fifth film divides the internet
After many years of waiting, the legendary green ogre Shrek returns to the cinema screen. The fifth installment of the popular animated series from DreamWorks Animation is in the works and its first official teaser has already created a huge buzz.
However, it’s not about the story or the new characters, but about the major visual transformation of the main characters. Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey appear in the teaser with new graphics that differ significantly from the previous films, which divides fans into two camps. While some welcome the modernization as a natural step given the technological advancements in animation, others harshly criticize it, claiming it destroys the spirit of the original.
Social media, especially the X platform (formerly Twitter), was immediately flooded with comments from fans who consider the change unfortunate. “See what they did to it!” wrote an outraged user in response to Fiona’s redesigned look. Other commenters even compared the new animation style to the work of artificial intelligence, which they said lacks the soul and authenticity of the original films. “Not only has it lost its juice, this is downright disrespectful to the original,” criticized one fan. Another joked that the new Shrek looks like it’s been put through a cheap digital filter.
Although the new visual style has been met with criticism, the teaser itself brought one big surprise. The teaser features the character of Shrek’s daughter, voiced by actress Zendaya. Interestingly, her presence in the film has elicited more neutral or positive reactions, with viewers focusing more on the visuals themselves than the new element in the story.
The return after years and the long road to the fifth installment
DreamWorks Animation originally planned to release Shrek 5 in 2013, but the project was eventually shelved. Instead, 2010 saw the release of Shrek: The Bell and the End, which introduced an alternate reality in which Shrek experiences a very different fate. But after more than a decade, the studio decided to return to the original franchise, and the fifth installment now loosely builds on that concept.
Fans of the iconic franchise, which has redefined animated films since its debut in 2001 and brought a heavy dose of satire and pop culture references to the genre, wonder if the new visual style will be at the expense of the original films’ charm. Nevertheless, this is one of the most anticipated animated titles of the next few years.
The film is scheduled to premiere in US cinemas on Christmas Day 2026, and is expected to head to streaming platform Netflix shortly after. Whether fans will get used to the new look of their favourite characters, or whether the studio will be forced to make adjustments, the coming months will tell.
Photo source: www.pexels.com
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