Minions: "We just lost while winning at the same time": Fans react with memes and jokes as Minions 3 release date gets moved up, while Shrek 5 gets postponed

The shocking announcement that Shrek 5 will be delayed into the future while Minions 3 will have an earlier release date made fans both thrilled and heartbroken. Fans of Minions rejoiced, on the one hand, since the naughty yellow critters would be returning sooner than expected.

However, the fact that the famous green monster will have to wait a bit longer to appear on the big screen made Shrek fans unmistakably unhappy. Reactions on Twitter were so intense that they mixed happiness for Minions 3 with sadness for Shrek 5.

One supporter eloquently stated.

"We just lost while winning at the same time."

A user's tweet,

"They seriously did not just replace Shrek 5 with Minions 3…," which repeated the original news that "MINIONS 3 has been pushed up to July 1, 2026," precisely captured the feeling.

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Memes and jokes have taken over social media as followers struggle with this emotional rollercoaster, expressing the shared sense of simultaneously winning and losing.

As Minions 3 moves up and Shrek 5 gets postponed, fans react with humor and frustration

When it comes to animated franchises, few have captured the hearts of viewers like Shrek and the Minions. So naturally, when Universal Pictures announced that Minions 3 would be moved up, fans had mixed reactions. Many celebrated the news but quickly expressed their frustration at the postponement of Shrek 5.

One fan excitedly posted,

“LETS GOOOOOO!! BUT NOOOOOOOO FOR SHREK 5!”

which perfectly encapsulates the mood of those torn between the joy of the Minions returning and the sadness of seeing Shrek sidelined. Another user added their own frustration with a tweet,

“this is why animation is not cinema” alongside a man nodding disappointedly in a GIF, showing a more critical take on how animated films are being handled.

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Other reactions took a more humorous approach. One user joked,

“Supergirl releasing in between Toy Story 5 and Minions 3…that movie is COOKED💀😭,”

suggesting that any film daring to compete with these heavy-hitting franchises will be left in the dust. Another tweet humorously lamented,

“OF COURSE THEY PUT THE MINIONS OVER SHREK…” with an angry GIF, driving home the idea that Minions are being prioritized over fan-favorite Shrek.

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The memes didn’t stop there. One user shared a video clip from Family Guy of a man about to shoot someone, captioning it,

“me to the people that delayed Shrek 5.”

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The feelings of betrayal were real for Shrek fans who have waited years for the next installment. On the flip side, Minions fans were more than thrilled, with one tweet screaming,

“LETS F**KING GOOOOOO” accompanied by a GIF of the Minions exclaiming, “WOHOO! YEAH!!”

In contrast, one particularly angry fan expressed their frustration directly at the studio with,

“UNIVERSAL PICTURES I REALLY HATE YOU.”

Clearly, while Minions 3 may have brought joy to some, the postponement of Shrek 5 has left others deeply unsatisfied. Memes, GIFs, and videos continue to flood social media, highlighting the emotional rollercoaster that fans are on.

The broader implications of the date shift

It is probably a calculated effort on the side of Universal Pictures to advance Minions 3 while delaying Shrek 5. Studios frequently employ date shifts to maximize box office results, particularly when two big animated features are involved. By delaying Minions 3, the studio may be able to avoid direct competition with other major animated properties while maintaining the high ticket sales generated by the Minions' enormous popularity.

Shrek 5's delay, meanwhile, may have sprung from the studio's wish to polish the production and make sure it lives up to the high standards set by the series' first several movies. Shrek is a cultural icon, after all, and his reappearance has been anxiously anticipated by fans for years. The postponement may provide the studio more time to polish the next installment of Shrek's plot since there have been reports of possible creative changes and casting reorganizations.

In conclusion, Shrek fans are still grieving over the early release of Minions 3, while Minions fans are rejoicing. The range of reactions to these announcements demonstrates the influence these cherished cartoon series have on their viewers.