The much-anticipated release of Shrek 5 has been delayed for a second time.

DreamWorks Animation originally scheduled the sequel for next summer, but pushed it back to December 2026.

It has now shifted the release back further to June 2027, according to US website Deadline.

BBC Newsbeat has approached DreamWorks Animation and Universal for comment.

Although the report didn’t give a reason, fans and news outlets have speculated that the delay was to avoid competing with Avengers: Doomsday, Dune: Part III, and Ice Age 6, which are all set to hit cinemas in December 2026.

Fans have expressed disappointment at the delay, with one writing on X: “Another delay? At this point my kids will be showing Shrek 5 to their kids.”

The first film, released in 2001, followed the story of an ogre who wants nothing more than to be left alone, but ends up on a quest to rescue a princess trapped in a tower.

Along the way, he gets help from a ragtag bunch of misfits, including a chatty donkey and, later, a boot-wearing cat.

It was a huge hit for DreamWorks, making $487m (£362m) worldwide at the box office.

The studio then went on to bring back the characters again and again for three more movies.

Number five will actually be the seventh film in the wider franchise, which includes two spin-off films – Puss In Boots and Puss In Boots: The Last Wish.

It has been confirmed that Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers), Princess Fiona (voiced by Cameron Diaz) and Donkey (voiced by Eddie Murphy) are all returning for the new movie.

The movie’s trailer also revealed a new addition to the cast – Fiona and Shrek’s teenage daughter Felicia, voiced by actress Zendaya.

However, the reaction to the clip was mixed, with some fans taking to X to say they didn’t like the new style of animation and it was ugly.

Some have compared the reaction to the original movie version of Sonic the Hedgehog, which Paramount Pictures changed in response to a backlash in 2019.

Others couldn’t be more excited about a return to the kingdom of Far Far Away.