Eddie Murphy Reveals Huge Progress on Multiple Shrek Movies
Eddie Murphy just gave Shrek fans a big reason to get excited. In an interview with Collider, Murphy revealed that he has done some recording for Shrek 5 and that there is also a Donkey spin-off movie in the works. This would make it the first entry in the mainline franchise since the fourth film, which was released over a decade ago in 2010.
A Potential Release Date
Eddie Murphy gave some details about Shrek 5, saying, “I recorded the first act, and we’ll be doing it this year, we’ll finish it up.” He even teased a potential release date, adding, “I think it’s coming out in 2025.”
That would certainly be much sooner than fans were expecting, but Universal has commented on these statements yet, so we’ll have to wait and see if that release date holds true.
Shrek 5’s Cast
When Variety reported that Universal and DreamWorks were considering another sequel in the franchise in 2023, the report mentioned that Eddie Murphy, Mike Myers, and Cameron Diaz should all reprise their roles as Donkey, Shrek, and Fiona, respectively.
It also seems likely that Antonio Banderas would return as Puss in Boots, considering the post-credits sting for his most recent film showed that he was sailing back to the land of Far, Far Away. If he’s bringing his crew with him, we may also get Salma Hayek and Harvey Guillen reprising their roles as Kitty Softpaws and Perrito.
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish
While Eddie Murphy, Myers, and Diaz haven’t been in a mainline Shrek film since 2010’s Shrek Forever After, the franchise has still been going strong. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish was one of the most acclaimed films associated with the franchise, and has a strong box office showing to boot with $485 million worldwide.
The film used a new storybook animation style that fit the franchise perfectly, and it’s possible we could see this repeated in the upcoming fifth film or the Donkey spin-off.
Did The Last Wish Resuscitate Shrek?
Perhaps the success of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish emboldened Dreamworks and Universal to make more spin-offs, and an Eddie Murphy-led Donkey spin-off seems like the next logical choice for the franchise.
As one of the most popular characters, it’s easy to imagine that a Donkey movie would bring fans to the theaters in droves. Of course, the strategy to release a new Shrek movie first certainly wouldn’t hurt to get fans excited about more movies first.
A Cultural Touchstone
Eddie Murphy, Mike Myers, and Cameron Diaz starred in the first Shrek movie in 2001. The film has become somewhat of a cultural touchstone, and it was an almost instant success with $487 million worldwide at the box office and an Oscar win. Shrek 2 was an even bigger success, falling short of $1 billion with a $928 million box office haul.
The third and fourth films, though not as beloved, brought in $813 million and $752 million worldwide at the box office, respectively. Thanks to memes, TikTok, and things like “Shrek raves,” the franchise has somehow become even more of a cultural phenomenon since 2010.
If Eddie Murphy is right about Shrek 5 coming out next year, we could see the film pass the $1 billion threshold, especially if Universal and DreamWorks utilize the right social media marketing strategy.
Source: Variety
