Why Are Some People Asking To Bring Back Old Character Designs In 'Shrek 5'? The Shrek Trailer Controversy Explained

The first teaser trailer for Shrek 5, the much-awaited fifth Shrek film and the first major installation in the series since Shrek Forever After released in 2010, has premiered, revealing that the Magic Mirror now doubles a fantasy version of TikTok.

The teaser also gave us the first look at the slightly aged but still beloved ogre family, revealing a brushed-up look for Shrek, Fiona, Donkey and Shrek's now teenage daughter Felicia.

However, it appears that many people are not too fond of the new look for the familiar characters, with some even asking to give the movie the Sonic the Hedgehog treatment.

Let's figure this all out and see why so many memes are pouring in from around the web about the first look at Shrek 5.

Where Can I Find The New 'Shrek' Character Designs?

On February 27th, 2025, a teaser trailer for the 2026 animated comedy film Shrek 5 premiered on YouTube and other social media platforms.

While very brief, the trailer revealed new, updated character designs for Shrek, his family and his friends, including Donkey and Pinocchio.

The teaser also revealed the film's cast: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz will return to voice Shrek, Donkey and Fiona, respectively, with Zendaya joining to voice Felicia, Shrek's teenage daughter.

What Are New Character Designs In 'Shrek 5'?

The teaser gave us the first look at how Shrek & co. will be looking in the upcoming film. The swamp patriarch got some visible wrinkles around his rounder eyes, smoother cheeks and now has a somewhat rounder face. Donkey now sports a longer beard and even spikier hair. Fiona is seen with curlier and longer hair that covers more of her face.

Overall, many felt that every character looked a bit "Disneyfied" compared to the older movies — and that just didn't sit right with some diehard Shrek fans.

How Did People React To New Character Designs In 'Shrek 5'?

The overall sentiment so far has fallen into the "not great, not terrible territory."

Over the last day, many have expressed that they are okay with the updated designs and that they're simply a reflection of the progress that animation studios made over the past 15 years. Others, however, are calling for old designs to be brought back and seem ready to die on that hill.

Some people's reactions to the change have been reminiscent of the controversy surrounding the initial Sonic design for the 2020 film Sonic the Hedgehog, which people deemed so ugly that the studio eventually gave in and changed it to something more likeable.

Now, some people are calling for the same treatment to be given to Shrek and his entire family.

But most importantly, the entire thing gave people the perfect opportunity to meme because, after all, Shrek and dank memes have always gone hand in hand.

Why Are People Saying That Shrek's Daughter Is Transgender?

Before we wrap up, there's one more rumor to discuss. Some people have been theorizing that the teenage ogre girl we see in the trailer is not Felicia, Shrek's only daughter from the previous films, but rather either Fergus or Farkle, who are Shrek's other two kids.

Why? In the trailer, the girl has brown eyes, while Felicia's eyes have always been sky blue in earlier depictions.

While it might be just the studio's decision to change Felicia's eye color – or she might be wearing contact lenses for all we know (or maybe Shrek has had another child with Fiona?) – some people have been eager to entertain this intriguing theory.

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For the full history of Shrek 5 Character Redesigns, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.