Over the past few years, people have been constantly watching shows and movies on their TVs, phones or other electronic devices. A common theme in the modern world is the dramatic change in how movies look. Many old films, including Shrek, are undergoing a major change in animation style. 

Just recently, ‘Shrek 5” has released a trailer for their new movie coming out in 2026. With this release, “Shrek 5” is receiving a lot of backlash for how the animation style looks. Even though DreamWorks has stated that their original cast members, who include Mike Myers as Shrek, Cameron Diaz as Fiona and Eddie Murphy as Donkey, are back, fans are still upset. 

One reason why fans are upset about the new style of “Shrek 5” is that Shrek now has a daughter who is played by movie star Zendaya. When watching older films, many viewers expect the same old goodness in the quality of the movie. People have certain nostalgia tied to Shrek’s original animation style, which is now being modernized to fit into this world. 

The old animation style was funny and unique, and its uniqueness is part of what made the films special. The new, smoother animation might feel too different to some viewers, making fans feel weird about the originals. 

“The new ‘Shrek 5’ movie feels very uncanny,” freshman Emily Yanez said. “Shrek’s daughter looks AI-generated, but Shrek doesn’t. All of the characters seem more realistic, too, unlike the original Shrek movie.”

However, one good thing about updating the animation style is that it can make the movie more appealing to younger viewers who are used to newer, high-quality animations. The updated style can make the characters of Shrek look more realistic and engaging to young viewers. This modernized theme also opens more creative possibilities for the animators of Shrek to create new and exciting scenes that weren’t precisely possible in past films. 

Ultimately, the choice to update the animation style in “Shrek 5” shows how filmmakers and animators need to balance nostalgia with the modern world. While modern animation can improve the visuals and attract new audiences, it can also risk backlash from long-time fans who prefer the original style.

As technology and audience expectations change, it’s understandable that many moviemakers want to update their films, but the challenge is keeping the spirit of what made the original movie so memorable.