DreamWorks Animation has announced that the Shrek 5 is officially in development with a release date of July 1, 2026. THE Shrek original stars Mike Myers (voice of Shrek), Eddie Murphy (voice of Donkey) and Cameron Diaz (voice of Fiona) also return. The return of Antonio Banderas in the role of Cizmás, however, has not yet been confirmed, wrote the Variety.
A Shrek 5 will be directed by Walt Dohrn, who a Shrek 2 and the Shrek the Third was its writer and art director, as well as the Shrek is over, run awaybrain trust of his story, in which he also provided the voice of Rumpelstiltskin. The fifth installment will be produced by franchise returner Gina Shay and Illumination founder Chris Meledandri, with co-director Brad Ableson.
Murphy revealed in June that he had already started recording the film and would be making a Donkey spin-off next.
We started working months ago. We did it. I recorded the first act, and we will do it and finish it this year. Shrek is coming out, and following that Donkey will have his own movie
Murphy said a few weeks ago.
The Shrek franchise had four full-length installments between 2001 and 2010. The original Shrek made DreamWorks Animation a huge studio with a worldwide gross of $487 million. The film became the first Oscar winner in the animated film category – a Monsters, Inc. delaying the fee. THE Shrek 2 It grossed $928 million and both films were in contention for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Although the Shrek the Third and the Shrek is the end, run away from him received less acclaim than the first two films, yet grossed $813 million and $752 million worldwide. THE Puss in boots both parts were also box office hits, grossing $555 million and $484 million, respectively.
As Variety reported in 2018, Universal Pictures has hired Meledandri (who Gru-series and the Super Mario Bros.: A film producer as well) to be supervised by the studio Shrek and Puss in boots the revival of its franchises. At the time, the animation guru insisted that the dubbing voices of the characters in the series, which were the key to the success of the Shrek films, should not be touched.
Looking back at those performances makes you realize they’re fantastic, and while there’s certainly a case to be made for a complete recast, I found myself reacting to my own nostalgic feelings and wanting to return to those characters
Meledandri said. “The challenge for us was to find something that would really make the comeback so that it wasn’t just another movie in a series of sequels,” he added.
Eddie Murphy as catalyst
The latest installment in the Shrek franchise, the Bootstrap: The Last Wish was in December 2022 (this was the second Puss in boots independent film). The film grossed $484 million worldwide and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The last wish successfully fueled interest in a possible fifth Shrek film, and Murphy, Donkey his voiceover said in January 2023:
If DreamWorks ever came up with another Shrek movie, I’d take it in two seconds. I love Donkey. They made Csizmás, the kandúr movies. I thought they might have made a Donkey movie. Donkey is funnier than Boots, the knave. I mean, I love him too, but he’s not as funny as Donkey.
Meledandri told Variety in April 2023 that he was “thrilled” to read Murphy’s comments, adding, “it shows how passionate he is regarding a role that he played so brilliantly and really created with the artists at DreamWorks. I found this comment very exciting”.
When asked if he thinks Donkey is a character who, like the fighting cat spin-offs starring Antonio Banderas, would be worthy of his own film, Meledandri answered with noble simplicity: “without a doubt.” He also said that he would love to see the film’s original voice actors (including Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz and Murphy) return to the Shrek 5-in. And as it turned out followingwards, this wish was fulfilled.
The announcement was made by DreamWorks in the framework of a few-second teaser on its X channel, with the inevitable insert, of course, Smash Mouth All Star underlining.
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