‘Shrek 5' release date: Universal reserves September 2022 premiere date for ‘Untitled DreamWorks’ film possibly for fan-favorite ogre’s return

The world’s favorite ogres have been anticipated to return to movie theaters via an all-new film for several years now. And the fans’ first clue might have been revealed recently when Universal Pictures reserved a September 2022 release date for a DreamWorks project.

‘Shrek 5’ release date: Universal possibly places movie’s premiere in 3 years

Major movie producers often announce release dates for upcoming installments of its popular franchises in a cryptic way. One of the unwritten benefits of this strategy is that it indirectly informs fans that widely rumored titles like “Shrek 5” are in the pipeline, and it is also a good way to keep fans talking about such films in various online platforms.

Such was the effect when Universal Pictures added a few more movie release date slots last month, including an “Untitled DreamWorks” project slated to premiere on Sept. 23, 2022. And even though no other details were included, fans were quick to speculate that it could be referring to “Shrek 5.”

Earlier reports suggested that “Shrek 5” was supposed to be released this year, but DreamWorks Animation was acquired by Universal’s parent company, NBCUniversal, in 2016. It would not be surprising if that affected the timelines for upcoming movies, making the fifth installment’s release date more likely for 2022.

However, without any official updates on the release date of “Shrek 5,” fans are advised to take these speculations with a pinch of salt. It can be recalled that producer Chris Meledandri, who is leading the making of the movie, has another priority project that slated to premiere in 2022, too. That begs the question if Sept. 23, 2022, is really a possible premiere for “Shrek 5.”

Meanwhile, it should also be noted that Sept. 23, 2022, is not the only premiere date reserved for an untitled DreamWorks film. Deadline reported in 2018 that Universal has set three other release dates for upcoming DreamWorks projects on Dec. 22, 2021, April 15, 2022, and April 7, 2023.

‘Shrek 5’ plot: Will it be a reboot movie?

Whichever of the mentioned release dates Universal will give “Shrek 5” makes it clear the sequel will arrive more than a decade since the last movie “Shrek Forever After.” That amount of hiatus might be enough for Meledandri and other producers to consider making the upcoming movie serve as a series reboot instead of being a direct sequel.