The release of the first official trailer for Shrek 5 this week has jolted the dormant franchise back to life, but the reception has been anything but the fairytale homecoming DreamWorks might have hoped for. Viewed from Los Angeles, the studio’s decision to reunite original voice stars Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy, and to introduce Zendaya as the voice of Shrek and Fiona’s teenage daughter Felicia, signals a confident bid to bridge generations. Yet within hours of the trailer’s debut, social media platforms were flooded with memes and sharp criticism, much of it directed at what many fans decried as an uncanny, artificial-looking animation style that some alleged bore the hallmarks of generative AI. The film is scheduled to reach cinemas on 30 June 2027, a date that reflects a strategic retreat from a crowded holiday window after Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday shifted its own release.

The most intense reaction, however, has erupted across Latin America, where the Spanish-language dub trailer confirmed the return of Eugenio Derbez as Donkey and Dulce Guerrero as Fiona, but conspicuously omitted Alfonso Obregón, the Mexican actor who has voiced Shrek since the original 2001 film. Universal Pictures Mexico disabled comments on its YouTube upload, a tacit acknowledgment of the fury that greeted the recasting. Obregón’s career has been shadowed by accusations of sexual abuse made by former students, and while no official statement has been given, analysts in Mexico City note that the legal and reputational fallout has effectively barred him from the role. The studio has not named his replacement, leaving fans to dissect every syllable of the new ogre’s voice and demand Obregón’s reinstatement.

From Moscow to São Paulo, the trailer’s reception has been similarly fractious. Russian media reported on the teaser with a focus on the returning Hollywood cast and the grown-up children, but also noted the wave of viewer anger over the redesigned character models. Brazilian outlets highlighted the nostalgia of seeing Shrek, Fiona and Burro together again, while acknowledging the weight of expectation after a 15-year gap since the last mainline instalment. The controversy stands in stark contrast to the critical embrace of Toy Story 5, another legacy animated sequel opening this weekend, which has drawn warm early reviews on Rotten Tomatoes for its voice ensemble led by Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, and has even spawned a commemorative adidas sneaker collection in Mexico.

Looking ahead, the Shrek 5 team faces a delicate balancing act. The franchise has grossed over $1.6 billion worldwide, but the 2027 release date leaves ample time for fan discontent to fester or, alternatively, for a course correction in marketing and perhaps even in the final render. The Latin American dubbing decision, in particular, will test whether a studio can quietly sever ties with a controversial figure without alienating an audience for whom the voice is inseparable from the character. As one Mexico City commentator observed, in the kingdom of Far, Far Away, the ogre’s roar is nothing without the voice that gives it soul.