The Universal theme park version ofShrek’s Donkey roasts theShrek 5trailer. After the main franchise has been on hiatus for years,Shrek 5is currently in development.The film’s teaser trailer was recently released, revealing a look at the new character designs, including Shrek and Fiona’s daughter, Felicia. Along with this trailer release, Universal announced Zendaya has been cast as Felicia. The movie is currently set for release on Christmas 2026.
Now, a TikTok video fromepicfamilyquestshas revealed a Universal Studios Donkey experience that pokes fun at theShrek 5trailer.
The video shows an animatronic version of Donkey interacting with the theme park’s Fiona actor, along with park guests. Donkey mentions that Fiona’s “husband is embarrassed” to show his face because he “doesn’t want to get questions about the new trailer.” Donkey continued on, saying “Felicia looked 15.” Donkey also mentioned his own design, saying “It look rough” and"Donkey looks homeless."
What This Means For Shrek 5
The Shrek Team Is Listening To Its Audience
This Universal theme park experience comes after theShrek 5trailerwas released to significant criticism.The teaser featured aged-up versions of Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey, as the ogres are now middle-aged parents. Viewers were surprised and aghast with how DreamWorks had treated the revised animation for the characters. Some even felt like the animation quality had diminished from the original, which came out over two decades ago.
Why Shrek & Donkey’s Animation Looks Different in Shrek 5
Shrek and friends are set to return in Shrek 5, and a first look at the upcoming animated movie showcases a new look for these iconic characters.
Instead of rejecting the backlash, it seems that Universal is leaning into it. This could be a smart marketing tactic, asit shows that the studio is listening to its fan base, a reactive strategy that was already evident in the trailer’s incorporation ofviral onlineShrekmemes. Poking fun at themselves through theme park characters like Donkey could be a way to make fans feel heard and spark further discourse. If coupled with actual improved animation where necessary, this could greatly increaseShrek 5’s success potential.
Our Take On The Donkey Universal Theme Park Roasts
Felicia’s Age Might Be Kind Of Correct
While the animatronic Donkey roasts are undeniably hilarious, I take issue with one particular design critique. Donkey notes, seemingly criticizingly, thatShrek 5’s “Felicia looked 15.” While her exact age has not been determined yet, Felicia and her brothers were still infants whenShrek Forever Aftercame out in 2010. If the upcoming sequel portrays a similar passage of time in-universe as happened in the real world, this age estimate would not be that off for the character. Of course, her voice actor, Zendaya, is much older than 15, but that particularShrek 5diss may be less valid than other concerns.
Shrek 5
Cast
Shrek 5 is the fifth installment in the popular animated film series.
