Shrek 5 has just made a smashing appearance. Universal has shared the very first teaser for the film, which will be released in our theaters at the end of 2026. While the news is exciting in itself, the content we were able to see is much less so. The teaser only lasts a few seconds, but they are more than enough to disgust an entire generation of fans of the franchise. Since its publication, the video has caused an uproar on the networks and the critics have followed one another. Internet users do not approve of the change in character design, but it is not the only flaw in this unfortunate teaser.
Indeed, the entire staging is called into question, as well as the casting. Mike Byers and Cameron Diaz reprise their respective roles as Shrek and Fiona, while Zendaya plays their daughter. Spectators are not unhappy with the actress's performances so far, but many deplore the fact that Universal wanted to ride her wave of popularity with the younger generation to attract more customers to the release of the film.
Gen Z in the crosshairs again
Let's talk about this young generation. The teaser, far from showing relevant images from the film it represents, instead shows the 4 main characters scrolling on the mirror as if it were the TikTok homepage on a smartphone. A not very subtle reference, knowing that the latter shows us the same and other cult video montages that have emerged on the networks in recent years.
Shrek has always been a pure product of parody. Often, the films of the saga have allowed themselves to tease the codes of our modern society through not so hidden references and well-placed digs. But this teaser pushes the vice even further by focusing the entirety of its communication on one of the most caricatured aspects of generation Z, and even generation Alpha, namely the consumption of social networks. While the wink may make you laugh, it also worries fans to a different extent.
They fear that the fifth film, awaited like the messiah, will only be aimed at a much younger audience than the average age of Shrek viewers, but also that it will only focus its message around this caricature taken up by absolutely all modern films and series. All the more so since we learn no real information about the plot of the feature film or its intention. We also point out a detail that bothers us. Shrek and Fiona are supposed to have a bunch of kids the same age, but only one of their daughters gets the spotlight. Where did the rest go? The answer to the holiday season in 2026.
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