In a recent interview with Collider, Eddie Murphy disclosed that he has already started recording vocals for the upcoming “Shrek 5” and is also set to star in a standalone film centered around his character, Donkey.
Back in April 2023, Variety shared news that Universal and DreamWorks Animation were considering a fifth installment of the “Shrek” franchise featuring the original cast (including Eddie Murphy as Donkey, Mike Myers as Shrek, and Cameron Diaz as Fiona), as well as a standalone movie focusing on Murphy’s character, Donkey. It appears that these projects are now officially in the works, as confirmed by Murphy himself.
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“We started doing [‘Shrek 5’] months ago,” Murphy told Collider. “I did this. I recorded the first act, and we’ll be doing it this year, we’ll finish it up. ‘Shrek’ is coming out and Donkey’s gonna have his own movie. We’re gonna do Donkey as well. So we’re gonna do a ‘Shrek,’ and we’re doing a Donkey [movie].”
“I started recording ‘Shrek,’ I think it’s coming out in 2025. And we’re doing a Donkey one next,” he stated again.
Between 2001 and 2010, the “Shrek” franchise released four feature films. The first installment of “Shrek” catapulted DreamWorks Animation into success, earning a worldwide gross of $487 million and claiming the title of the first animated feature to win an Oscar. Its sequel, “Shrek 2,” went on to amass an impressive $928 million at the box office. Both films even vied for the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
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Although “Shrek the Third” and “Shrek Forever After” did not receive as much critical acclaim as their predecessors, they still managed to rake in substantial earnings, with worldwide grosses of $813 million and $752 million, respectively.
In 2023, Eddie Murphy expressed to Entertainment Tonight his eagerness to jump back into the role of Donkey for a potential fifth installment of the “Shrek” series, stating that he would gladly accept the opportunity “in two seconds” if ever approached for the project.
“I love Donkey,” Murphy said. “You know, they did ‘Puss in Boots’ movies. I was like, ‘They should have did a Donkey movie. Donkey is funnier than Puss in Boots. I mean, I love Puss in Boots, but he ain’t funny as the Donkey. … I would do a Donkey movie. I would do another ‘Shrek’ in two seconds.”
