DreamWorks Movies Coming Soon with Release Dates

Is DreamWorks betting the studio on nostalgia instead of fresh hits?

They’ve got nine theatrical releases locked from May 2026 through September 2028 — Shrek’s 25th-anniversary re-release, Shrek 5, Forgotten Island, CoComelon, and a couple of untitled new films — but not a single trailer is out yet.

This guide lays out every confirmed release date in chronological order, plus what’s known about the cast, sequels, and mystery projects.

If you’re planning family movie nights or just tracking whether nostalgia still sells, this is the list to bookmark.

Complete Release Guide to Upcoming DreamWorks Films (Chronological List)

DreamWorks Animation’s got nine confirmed theatrical releases stretching through 2028, though if you’re hunting for trailers right now, you’re out of luck. None of these films have dropped official preview footage yet. What’s locked in is a mix of anniversary re-releases, franchise sequels, and brand-new story worlds. Each one’s targeting theaters first before hitting streaming later. It’s the studio’s biggest confirmed pipeline in years, balancing nostalgic favorites with totally original adventures.

The confirmed schedule runs from May 2026 through September 2028. That’s a two-and-a-half-year window for families planning movie outings. Most titles are still in production or post-production, which explains why you won’t find posters or preview clips floating around yet. If you’re scanning for screening times or early ticket sales, expect announcement waves closer to each release date.

DreamWorks’ current strategy mixes franchise comfort food with riskier original bets. It’s designed to work for young viewers discovering these worlds for the first time and parents who grew up with the studio’s earliest hits. Here’s every title with a locked release date:

• Shrek (25th Anniversary) — May 15, 2026 — Theatrical re-release of the 2001 original where an ogre rescues a princess to reclaim his swamp; rated PG.
• Forgotten Island — September 25, 2026 — Two friends portal-travel to a Philippine-inspired island of mythological creatures and must choose between their memories and home.
• CoComelon: The Movie — February 19, 2027 — CG-animated feature tied to the preschool streaming brand.
• Shrek 5 — June 30, 2027 — Further adventures of Shrek and the Far Far Away gang.
• Untitled DreamWorks Animation — September 24, 2027 — New animated film; plot and characters not yet announced.
• Untitled DreamWorks Animation — September 22, 2028 — Second unannounced feature film; no details released.

DreamWorks Franchise Sequels and Returning Worlds

Shrek’s getting the full anniversary treatment and a new sequel. It’s the franchise’s return after a decade-long break since Shrek Forever After dropped in 2010. Shrek 5 is positioned as a major event release for summer 2027, banking on the property’s proven ability to draw multigenerational crowds and spin merchandise across toy aisles and theme parks. The 25th-anniversary theatrical re-release in May 2026 will test whether the original still commands big-screen nostalgia or if it plays better as a streaming rewatch at home.

Franchise sequels let DreamWorks hedge creative risk while chasing built-in audiences, especially in a market where original animated films struggle to break through crowded release calendars. The Wild Robot 2 follows a first installment that earned a 98% Rotten Tomatoes score and crossed $100 million at the box office. That makes a sequel one of the studio’s safest bets even without a locked release date yet. Madagascar 4 remains in development with no confirmed timeline. The studio might be waiting to see how other revivals perform first.

• Shrek (25th Anniversary) — May 15, 2026 — PG-rated theatrical re-release.
• Shrek 5 — June 30, 2027 — New sequel continuing the franchise.
• Madagascar 4 — TBA — Fourth installment; release date not yet announced.
• The Wild Robot 2 — TBA — Sequel to the $100M hit and Academy Award contender.

Original Upcoming DreamWorks Movies and New Worlds in Development

DreamWorks has always balanced its franchise output with original properties that can either launch new series or stand alone as creative showcases. Forgotten Island arrives September 2026 and represents the studio’s first major original theatrical release on the current slate. The film follows two friends who discover a portal to Nakali, a fantasy world inspired by Philippine mythology, where they team up with a weredog named Raww (voiced by Dave Franco) and face off against the Manananggal (voiced by Lea Salonga). The stakes center on memory and identity. Characters risk forgetting each other entirely if they choose to return home, a premise that echoes the emotional weight of recent hits like Turning Red and Encanto.

Two untitled DreamWorks films scheduled for September 2027 and September 2028 remain complete mysteries. No loglines, cast, or creative teams attached publicly. These placeholder dates suggest the studio’s keeping options open to shift projects in or out depending on production timelines and market conditions. Historically, DreamWorks has used these “untitled” slots to debut surprise hits that weren’t heavily marketed until close to release.

Beyond the dated titles, the studio’s got at least ten original projects in various stages of development. Pig Scrolls takes place in Ancient Greece and follows Gryllus, a former crew member from Odysseus’ voyage who was transformed into a talking pig by the sorceress Circe. The fate of the gods now rests on his hooves. Bollywood Superstar Monkey sees brothers Raj and Deepu accidentally free the demon Ravana, kidnapping Bollywood star Chandani and forcing the boys and their pet monkey Pinki into a rescue quest. Lidsville drops a rebellious kid into an alternate dimension populated by living hats and talking caps. Route 66 tells the story of Mulligan, a giant roadside golf-ball statue who leaves his pedestal to find Betty, a hovering blueberry, on a cross-country love quest. The Wizards of Once pairs Xar, a 12-year-old wizard prince without magic, with Wish, a 12-year-old warrior princess carrying a magical object, as they hunt a deadly witch across a grand fantasy landscape. None of these titles have release dates or trailers, but their detailed plot descriptions suggest they’ve moved beyond the pitch stage into active development.

Rumored and In-Development DreamWorks Projects

Several DreamWorks titles remain in limbo. They’ve been announced but not yet scheduled, which in animation often means they’re awaiting budget approval, script rewrites, or director availability. These projects can sit in development for years before either moving into production or quietly disappearing from the studio’s public pipeline. B.O.O.: Bureau of Other… follows a ghost who’s terrible at his job and must return to ghost school, a Monsters Inc.-adjacent premise that could appeal to younger audiences. Imaginary Enemies flips the childhood scapegoat trope, showing imaginary friends seeking revenge on the grown-up kids who blamed them for everything.

Ronan Boyle and the Bridge of… adapts a middle-grade book series about a boy navigating a magical Ireland filled with rule-breaking leprechauns and deadly monsters. It’s positioning itself as a potential franchise starter. Edgar Wright’s shadow-themed project remains one of the most intriguing entries on the rumored list, given Wright’s track record with fast-paced visual storytelling in films like Baby Driver and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Larrikins, a road-trip comedy about a bilby and a band crossing the Australian Outback, has been in development since at least 2018 and may have shifted priorities multiple times.

• B.O.O.: Bureau of Other… — Ghost school comedy; release date TBA.
• Imaginary Enemies — Imaginary friends take revenge on their grown creators; TBA.
• Ronan Boyle and the Bridge of… — Irish mythology adventure adapted from a book series; TBA.
• Edgar Wright Shadow Project — Director Edgar Wright’s shadow-themed story; TBA.
• Larrikins — Australian Outback road-trip comedy; long in development, release TBA.

Voice Cast, Directors, and Creative Team Updates for Upcoming DreamWorks Titles

The Wild Robot assembled a standout voice ensemble including Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Mark Hamill, and Lupita Nyong’o. It’s a mix of franchise veterans and rising stars that helped the film cross both critical and commercial benchmarks. Chris Sanders, who directed the first Wild Robot, is expected to return for the sequel. He brings his signature blend of emotional character work and kinetic action sequences. Edgar Wright’s involvement in an unnamed DreamWorks project marks a rare crossover between live-action auteur filmmaking and major animation studios, though no cast has been announced yet. Forgotten Island has confirmed Dave Franco as the weredog Raww and Broadway legend Lea Salonga as the villainous Manananggal, signaling that the film will lean into musical or vocal performance elements.

DreamWorks Animation’s Production Pipeline and Technology Evolution

Modern CG animation typically requires three to four years from greenlight to theatrical release. That timeline explains why so many of DreamWorks’ announced projects remain without trailers or locked dates. The studio’s pipeline moves through stages: story development and script, visual development and character design, animation and lighting, and finally post-production sound and effects. Each phase can stretch or compress depending on creative changes, technology upgrades, or shifting release calendars. Films like The Wild Robot that blend naturalistic environments with stylized character animation demand longer rendering times and more complex lighting setups than simpler comic designs.

Hybrid live-action and CGI approaches, floated as possibilities for titles like Penguins of Madagascar or adaptations of human-led stories, add another layer of complexity and cost. These projects require coordination between animation teams and live-action units, motion-capture sessions, and extensive pre-visualization to ensure animated characters interact believably with real environments. That additional technical overhead often pushes release dates further out and raises budgets, which is why studios reserve the approach for franchises with proven audiences or stories that can’t work in pure animation.

Market Outlook, Box Office Predictions, and Audience Interest

Family films remain one of the most reliable theatrical genres, especially during school breaks and holiday windows when parents need group-friendly options. The Wild Robot’s $100 million box office haul and 98% Rotten Tomatoes score showed that original stories with emotional depth can compete against franchise sequels. It’s a signal that DreamWorks’ mix of new IP and established brands might resonate across audience segments. Shrek 5 will likely be the biggest commercial test on the current slate, as the franchise’s last installment debuted in 2010. An entire generation of kids has grown up without a new Shrek adventure in theaters.

Fan reactions captured in mid-2025 showed strong enthusiasm for potential live-action remakes of The Prince of Egypt and Sinbad, while skepticism surrounded the idea of translating Shrek’s heavily stylized animation into live-action. That same audience chatter suggests nostalgia runs deep for DreamWorks’ early-2000s catalog, but also that fans want respect for the source material rather than quick cash-grab updates. The studio’s decision to re-release the original Shrek for its 25th anniversary seems designed to gauge whether that nostalgia translates into ticket sales or just streaming replays.

Box office projections for animated sequels typically start at the previous installment’s total and adjust for inflation, market saturation, and franchise fatigue. Madagascar 4, for example, would need to overcome the fact that the third film came out in 2012 and the Penguins spinoff underperformed in 2014. The Wild Robot 2, by contrast, rides a wave of critical goodwill and a first film that overperformed expectations. That positions it as a safer bet even without a locked date. Original titles like Forgotten Island face the hardest road. No built-in audience, no merchandising history. But they also have the highest upside if they connect, as breakout originals can launch multi-film franchises and theme-park attractions overnight.

Family-Friendly Guide to Upcoming DreamWorks Releases

Most DreamWorks releases target a broad family audience, typically landing PG ratings for mild action, brief rude humor, and thematic elements that might need a quick parent explanation for younger kids. Shrek’s 25th-anniversary re-release retains its original PG rating. It’s a film that plays well for ages five and up thanks to layered jokes that work on both kid and adult levels. “Do you think he’s compensating for something?” still sails over most preschoolers’ heads. CoComelon: The Movie will almost certainly skew younger, aimed squarely at the toddler and preschool crowd already hooked on the streaming series, with a likely G rating and runtime under 90 minutes to match short attention spans.

• Preschool-friendly (ages 2–5): CoComelon: The Movie, designed for the youngest viewers with simple plots and familiar characters.
• Early elementary (ages 5–8): Shrek 25th Anniversary, Forgotten Island, adventure stories with mild peril and positive messages about friendship and identity.
• Older kids and tweens (ages 9–12): Shrek 5, The Wild Robot 2, slightly more complex narratives, longer runtimes, and humor that rewards repeat viewing.
• Family co-viewing (all ages): Forgotten Island, The Wild Robot 2, emotional depth and layered storytelling that keeps parents engaged alongside kids.
• TBA suitability: Pig Scrolls, Bollywood Superstar Monkey, The Wizards of Once, plot descriptions suggest middle-grade adventure tone, likely PG.
• Wait for trailers: Untitled 2027 & 2028 releases, Edgar Wright project, no content details yet; ratings and age recommendations pending official marketing.

Final Words

You’ve got the studio’s timeline down: Shrek (25th Anniversary) on May 15, 2026; Forgotten Island on Sept 25, 2026; CoComelon: The Movie on Feb 19, 2027; Shrek 5 on Jun 30, 2027; plus two untitled releases in Sept 2027 and Sept 2028 — and about 13 more TBA. Most still don’t have trailers.

We covered franchise comebacks, original worlds, rumored projects, and key creative names to watch.

If you’re planning family nights or just tracking trends, keep this list handy — the upcoming dreamworks movies slate looks promising and playful.

FAQ

Q: Are there any upcoming DreamWorks movies?

A: The upcoming DreamWorks movies include several dated titles—Shrek (25th Anniversary) May 15, 2026; Forgotten Island Sept 25, 2026; plus 2027–2028 dated films and about 13 TBA projects, with no trailers yet.

Q: Which movie almost bankrupted DreamWorks?

A: The movie that almost bankrupted DreamWorks was Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003), which severely underperformed at the box office and caused major financial strain and studio restructuring.

Q: Are there any upcoming DreamWorks movies for 2026?

A: The upcoming DreamWorks movies for 2026 include Shrek (25th Anniversary) on May 15, 2026 (PG) and Forgotten Island on Sept 25, 2026, both slated for theatrical-first release with no trailers yet.

Q: Why did DreamWorks cancel lots of movies?

A: DreamWorks canceled lots of movies because of shifting studio priorities, budget concerns, market timing, creative changes, and rights or production issues—many projects get shelved or pushed back into long development instead.