Fans have been waiting for 13 years: when will "Shrek 5" hit the theaters?

The Shrek series is one of the most beloved animated film franchises in history. It's been 13 years since the last installment premiered. Now, rumors about the premiere of the fifth part are hitting the internet.

The endearing ogre first graced theaters in 2001, and the film raked in $488 million worldwide. This success prompted DreamWorks Animation studio to release a sequel, which grossed nearly $930 million in 2004. The franchise continued to grow with two more installments in 2007 and 2010, earning $813 million and $752 million respectively. Then, everything quieted down on the possibility of a continuation.

In the interim, the "Shrek" universe branched out with two spin-offs. "Puss in Boots" made its debut in 2011. This fairy tale got a sequel last year. Both films performed well in theaters, underscoring that the main series still has the potential to draw millions of viewers.

Rumblings about "Shrek 5" have been circulating for a while. The latest comes from DiscussingFilm which reported that an NBCUniversal employee listed the production in her LinkedIn profile, with a release date set for 2025. Once netizens started discussing this, she promptly removed the information.

If that were true, fans of the series would need to wait at least another year and a half, depending on the month "Shrek 5" is slated to be released. What adventures await the green ogre and Princess Fiona this time around? A few years ago, screenwriter Michael McCullers hinted at a sort of revival. He pointed out, "There have been four movies in the series, a lot has happened, the characters are incredibly popular and fantastic. However, we're at a juncture where we need to explore something new."

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