Zendaya Cast as Shrek's Daughter in Highly Anticipated SHREK 5

The return of Shrek is imminent, and for this installment, a huge star has joined the lineup. According to a new teaser for the film, Zendaya will be taking on the role of Shrek's daughter Felicia in Shrek 5, now due to hit theaters on December 23, 2026. Watch the cast announcement video!

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, original cast members Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz will all reprise their roles as Shrek, Donkey, and Fiona, respectively. Walt Dohrn, director of Trolls Band Together, is taking the reigns of director for the movie, the first in the Shrek franchise since 2010's Shrek Forever After. Dohrn previously worked as a writer on the third and fourth Shrek installments. Conrad Vernon, co-director of Shrek 2, will return as co-director.

In her career so far, Zendaya has taken the big and small screens by storm in acclaimed projects such as The Greatest Showman, the Marvel franchise, Euphoria, and Challengers, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe. Her next film projects are The Drama, a romance also starring Robert Pattinson and Christopher Nolan's adaptation of The Odyssey. In 2022, the performer was named one of THE 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine.

The original Shrek movie was released in 2001 to massive success. The movie follows the titular ogre as he attempts to reclaim his home- a swamp- after it is taken over by fairy tale creatures. With the help of his new friend Donkey, Shrek must rescue Princess Fiona from a tower to wed Lord Farquaad, in exchange for his home back. 

The film was followed by three sequels and multiple spin-offs, making Shrek one of DreamWorks' most prized IPs. A stage adaptation, Shrek the Musical, hit Broadway in 2008 with a cast led by Brian d'Arcy James and Sutton Foster. It has gone on to have a life via several national tours, including a revised version that is played across the US in 2024.