The new Shrek 5 character design proves DreamWorks has lost its edge

Yesterday we were blessed with an unexpected teaser for the new Shrek 5 movie, but it seems things are looking a little different and fans (including myself) aren't happy. Since the original film's release in 2001, the franchises' character design has remained fairly unchanged – until now. Whichever ogre stars in the new trailer... that is not my Shrek.

I'm not alone in feeling a little hesitant about the new design – many of us who grew up with the Shrek films were shocked and downright confused by the drastic animation style change. Whatever the reason behind the character design revamp, the onslaught of fan backlash is certainly not the positive reception DreamWorks likely anticipated.

Shrek 5 Cast Announcement - YouTube

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While the teaser itself is rather short (and littered with TikTok brain rot – we'll get to that, don't worry) it's hard to ignore the blaring character design changes. Remember when Shrek was supposed to be a fierce ogre? Those days are gone. Not only does the overall animation style have a cleaner feel, but it seems DreamWorks has opted for a more cartoony style, with rounded shapes and bigger eyes creating a juvenile look.

A lot of fans have theorised that the new animation style is an effort to appeal to a young audience, particularly when paired with the inclusion of 'memes' such as the now-stale twerking Shrek filter that was popular on TikTok. "Oh god, the Shrek universe has become aware of its meme status, that’s gonna be insufferable," one user wrote on the r/movies subreddit. "Bro….. are they pulling a Sonic PR stunt? There's no way someone greenlit this new look," another added.

To me, DreamWorks has always felt like it had a one-up on Disney and Pixar, taking a more realism-led approach to animation that felt more 'grown up'. Perhaps that's why it's sad to see an iconic franchise like Shrek get watered down for a more 'cute' childlike appeal. Whatever the reason behind the new animation style, it's certainly going to take a lot more than a twerking Shrek meme to convert me from hater back to fan but I'm willing to hold my reservations until a full trailer drops.

For more creative insight, take a look at why Sonic is a perfect example of character design evolution. If you're after more animation news check out why Ne Zha 2's box office record could be the end of Disney and Pixar's domination.