Hollywood in the mid-2000s was a strange, frantic place. Studios were obsessed with "three-peats," and DreamWorks was riding the highest of highs. Shrek 2 hadn't just been a hit; it was a cultural supernova. So, when the Shrek 3 release date—officially titled Shrek the Third—was set for May 18, 2007, the hype was actually kind of terrifying.
I remember the marketing blitz. It was everywhere. You couldn't buy a pack of fruit snacks or a bottle of ketchup without seeing that green ogre staring back at you. But looking back, that May release date was the start of a very specific era in animation. It was the moment the franchise shifted from being "edgy and subversive" to being a massive, undeniable corporate machine.
The Day Far Far Away Expanded
If you're looking for the exact history, the film actually had its world premiere a bit earlier, on May 6, 2007, at the Mann Village Theatre in Los Angeles. This was the era of massive red-carpet events where Justin Timberlake (voicing Artie) and Cameron Diaz (Fiona) were the "it" couple of the moment, even though they’d actually broken up by the time the movie hit theaters. Talk about awkward press tours.
Then came the wide release on May 18. It opened in 4,122 theaters. Back then, that was a gargantuan number.
The movie basically nuked the box office. It raked in $121.6 million in its opening weekend alone. For a long time, that stood as the record for the biggest opening for an animated film. It didn't lose that crown until Finding Dory showed up nearly a decade later in 2016.
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Why call it "The Third" anyway?
People often ask why they didn't just call it Shrek 3. Honestly, it was a branding play. The producers wanted it to sound more "regal" because the plot involved Shrek potentially becoming king. There was also some behind-the-scenes chatter about avoiding confusion with Shrek 4-D, the theme park attraction.
So, Shrek the Third it was.
The Weird Legacy of May 2007
The summer of 2007 was actually nicknamed the "Summer of 3s." Think about it:
- Spider-Man 3 (May 4)
- Shrek the Third (May 18)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (May 25)
Every single one of these movies was a massive financial success, and yet, every single one of them was sort of "meh" to critics. Shrek the Third currently sits at a 42% on Rotten Tomatoes. That’s a huge drop-off from the near-universal acclaim of the first two.
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Why did it feel different? Most fans pointed to the humor. The first Shrek was a middle finger to Disney. By the time the Shrek 3 release date rolled around, DreamWorks was the new Disney. The jokes about high school (Worcestershire Academy) and Shrek’s fear of fatherhood felt a bit more "safe" than the stuff that came before.
Looking Ahead: The Shrek 5 Factor
The reason everyone is Googling the third movie's history right now isn't just nostalgia. It’s because the cycle is starting all over again.
As of early 2026, we are officially in the "Shrek 5" countdown. Universal Pictures and DreamWorks have locked in December 23, 2026, for the fifth installment. It was originally supposed to be a summer 2026 release—echoing that May 2007 window—but they pushed it back to the holidays.
This is a big deal because it’s been 16 years since Shrek Forever After (the fourth one) was billed as "The Final Chapter." Clearly, final doesn't mean much in Hollywood when there's billions on the table.
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Actionable Takeaway for the Fans
If you're planning a rewatch before the 2026 sequel, don't just skip the third one because of the reviews. It actually introduces the babies and the death of King Harold, which are pretty core to the timeline.
Here is what you should do:
- Watch the 2007 film with the "Legacy" lens: Notice how the animation quality took a massive leap. The fur on Puss in Boots and the textures of the clothing were top-tier for 2007.
- Track the voice cast: This was one of the first times a "pop star" (Justin Timberlake) was given a massive lead role in a sequel, a trend that hasn't stopped since.
- Check the "Shrek 5" updates regularly: With the December 2026 date set, expect a full trailer to drop by late 2025 or early 2026.
The 2007 release might have been the "disappointing" middle child for some, but it solidified Shrek as an immortal brand. It proved that even when the critics aren't happy, the audience will show up in droves for that green swamp.