In a surprising revelation, Eddie Murphy has announced that production on “Shrek 5” is already underway, with a potential release date set for 2025. The comedian, known for voicing the beloved character Donkey in the franchise, shared this information during interviews for his upcoming film “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley.”
“We started doing ‘Shrek 5’ months ago,” Murphy told Collider. “I recorded the first act, and we’ll be finishing it up this year.” He added, “I think it’s coming out in 2025.”
But the excitement doesn’t stop there. Murphy also confirmed that a Donkey spinoff movie is in development, following the success of the “Puss in Boots” films. “Donkey’s gonna have his own movie. We’re gonna do Donkey as well,” he stated.
This news comes after reports from Variety in April 2023 suggesting that Universal and DreamWorks Animation were considering a fifth “Shrek” movie with the original cast, including Mike Myers as Shrek and Cameron Diaz as Fiona, alongside a Donkey-centric spinoff.
The “Shrek” franchise has been a powerhouse in animated cinema, with the first four films grossing over $2.9 billion worldwide between 2001 and 2010. The original “Shrek” even made history as the first winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
Murphy has long been enthusiastic about reprising his role as Donkey. In a 2023 interview with Entertainment Tonight, he expressed his eagerness to return to the character, saying, “I would do a Donkey movie. I would do another ‘Shrek’ in two seconds.”
The success of recent animated sequels like “Inside Out 2” and “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” suggests that audience appetite for beloved animated franchises remains strong. The latter, part of the “Shrek” universe, grossed nearly $485 million worldwide in 2022.
As of now, DreamWorks Animation and Universal have not officially commented on these projects. Details about the potential return of other cast members, including Myers and Diaz, remain unconfirmed.
With Murphy’s enthusiastic revelations, fans of the “Shrek” franchise can look forward to not just one, but potentially two new additions to the beloved animated series in the coming years.
