About to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first appearance of Shrek on the screens and almost 15 years after the last installment, fans of the saga of dreamworks They finally receive the confirmation they have been waiting for: Eddie Murphy has confirmed that there will not only be a new movie Shrekbut, like Puss in Boots, the character of Donkey will have his own feature film spin-off.
In an interview with Steve Weintraub for Collider—while promoting his next movie A detective loose in Hollywood (Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F)— Murphy revealed exciting plans for fans of the famous green ogre that marked a before and after in animated films.
Eddie, who has voiced Donkey since the original film premiered in 2001, detailed plans for the new projects. “We started doing Shrek 5 months ago. I recorded the first act, and we’ll finish it this year. Shrek is going to come out, and Donkey is going to have his own movie,” the actor revealed.
“So we are going to do one of Shrek and one of Donkey,” the interpreter remarked once again. Likewise, when asked if he was recording for both projects at the same time, Murphy clarified: “No, not at the same time. I started recording Shrek, I think it will come out in 2025and then we will do a Donkey one later.”
After the story of the green ogre and his friends, Dreamworks’ most recent successes have been Kung Fu Panda 4 and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. The first of these raised 545.3 million dollars worldwide, while the second raised some 485.2 million worldwide. In addition, the latter received very good comments from critics.
Shrek’s legacy has continued to grow over the years after its conclusion to film. The franchise, known for its particular humor, has been a cultural reference throughout its four feature films, numerous spin-offs and a Broadway musical awarded a Tony Award.
Murphy’s performance as Donkey has always been a highlight of the series in its original English version. His participation in the project could also mean the return of Eugenio Derbez for Latin dubbing and Jose Mota for its Spanish version of Spain, in addition to the other members of both voice casts.
What would be in question would be whether this would be a story that restarts the Shrek universe or would it be a mere continuation of Shrek forever (Shrek Forever After)the fourth part of the saga released in 2010, which in terms of plot did not earn the same recognition as its predecessors.
After the success of Shrek 2 In 2004, Jeffrey Katzenberg revealed that the Shrek story had been planned for five films from the beginning. After the premiere of Shrek the Third In 2007, it was announced that the fifth film would be released in 2013. However, in 2009, DreamWorks Animation stated that Shrek Forever After It would be the last installment.
Later in 2014, Katzenberg hinted that there might be a fifth film, stating that the series was not over.
Two years later, after NBCUniversal’s purchase of DreamWorks, plans to continue the franchise were mentioned, with rumors of a 2019 premiere. Eddie Murphy and Chris Meledandri confirmed in subsequent years that production was still underway and that the original cast could go back.
Later, in April 2023, Meledandri reiterated that Shrek 5 It was still in production, with no exact release date. It was not finally until 2024 that confirmation came as clear as that of the man himself. Eddie Murphy.
