Zendaya joins the cast of Shrek 5 as a member of the family 

The cast of Shrek 5 has a brand new member as the team is welcoming Zendaya to their family, who will be playing an integral part in the franchise's newest addition.

The actress will be portraying the role of Felicia, the daughter of Shrek, played by Mike Myers and Fiona, played by Cameron Diaz. This will be Zendaya's fifth time voice acting, after being featured in Super Buddies, Duck Duck Goose, Smallfoot, and Space Jam: A New Legacy.

The news of her casting took fans back to 2017 when she went on to X (then Twitter) to profess her love for the show as she wrote,

As for the rest of the cast, Eddie Murphy is returning as Donkey. More actors are expected to join in soon. The film is being directed by Walt Dohrn, who has also been a part of the second and third films of the franchise, while Brad Ableson is co-directing. Gina Shay and Chris Meledandri will be producing the film.

The initial four films brought in over $2.9 billion globally, spawning a Broadway musical that received eight Tony nominations and twelve Drama Desk nominations, a global live-touring show, and an immersive tourist destination in London. Additionally, the franchise consists of the Oscar-nominated sequel Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and the 2011 spin-off Puss in Boots.

Shrek 5 is the first film in the franchise since over a decade ago, as the last film in the franchise, Shrek Forever After, came out in 2010.

With almost $500 million at the worldwide box office and the first-ever Oscar winner for an animated film, the Shrek series reimagines the concept of Happily Ever After through the eyes of a misunderstood ogre and his diverse crew of fairytale characters. The film series is one of the most successful animated series in recent times.

What Zendaya's addition to the Shrek cast means

The actress has had an impressively diverse filmography within the short time she has spent in Hollywood, and the addition of one of the biggest animated series to have ever been made to her resume is certainly going to do wonders for Zendaya. Shrek 5 happens to be her third biggest upcoming project, as she also continues to work on Christopher Nolan's Odyssey alongside Matt Damon and Tom Holland.

Apart from that, the actress is all set to reprise her role as Rue Bennett in the third and final season of HBO's Euphoria, where she will be seen opposite Sydney Sweeney, Hunter Schafer, Alexa Damie, and Jacob Elordi.

Shrek 5 is set to release on December 23, 2026.