With the first glimpse of Zendaya as Shrek’s daughter in the Shrek 5 trailer, the franchise’s social media team responded to a long-forgotten tweet that may have fulfilled a casting. After Antonio Banderas’ Puss led the franchise through his spinoff movies, Mike Myers’ animated ogre will return in 2026, sixteen years after the last main installment. Alongside Zendaya and Myers, Shrek 5 will also see the return of Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz as Princess Fiona and Donkey.
Following the release of the first teaser, Shrek‘s social media account unearthed a long-forgotten tweet by Zendaya’s X account. With the star confessing her pᴀssion for the franchise in August 2017, the account pointed out that the post aged well within 13 minutes of the trailer’s release. Check out the Tweet below:
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What Shrek’s Social Media Nod Could Reveal About Shrek 5’s Tone
The Franchise Has Found Itself A Unique Reputation
With Zendaya’s Shrek 5 role of Felicia, the quick response from the official Shrek account hints at the direction of the long-awaited sequel. Puss in Boots and its sequel, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, veered more into the fantasy elements of the franchise when compared to the satirical humor of the original four movies that poked fun at contemporary everyday life. With the iconic ogre likely grappling with his children now growing up, Shrek 5 will seemingly return to this past approach to humor, creating an interesting scenario for the sequel.
In the 16 years since its last installment, Shrek has had a varied reputation online that goes beyond how other franchises have fared. While certain moments have become popular memes on social media, the Shrek franchise has also been the subject of several notable online fan works, such as the highly collaborative Shrek Retold fan remake that saw over 200 artists come together to retell the original movie. The first teaser already featured several acknowledgments of this online reputation, and the next installment might feature more meta moments.
Our Thoughts On Zendaya’s Shrek 5 Role Manifestation Post
Shrek’s Social Media Posts May Be More Eye-Catching Than The New Movie
Zendaya is undoubtedly one of the biggest stars in Hollywood today, thanks to her roles in the MCU Spider-Man trilogy, Euphoria, and Dune, and 2026 is set to be another big year for the actor. Alongside an expected return to the MCU, Dune franchise, and Euphoria season 3, she is also set to star in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and in the Ari Aster-produced The Drama with Robert Pattinson. With these productions and Shrek 5, the star’s future is incredibly bright.
As such, her casting brings plenty of attention to Shrek 5, creating even more excitement for a long-awaited sequel that has had over a decade to build up anticipation through nostalgia and newcomers. However, with the social media’s quick response and the trailer’s acknowledgment of its online reputation, Shrek 5′s viral marketing is likely to be just as memorable as its eventual release.
Source: @Shrek /X
