Eddie Murphy’s involvement in Shrek 5 remains a certainty, as DreamWorks Animation has officially announced the film’s release date.
Last month, comedian Eddie Murphy announced that the long-awaited Shrek 5 is finally moving forward, with an added surprise: a standalone Donkey film also in development. In fact, Murphy may have simply been manifesting his personal future by foreseeing the official announcement that Shrek 5 is in production, with a release date slated for July 1, 2026, as formally revealed by Dreamworks on the final evening? The announcement trailer surprisingly featured Smash Mouth’s iconic hit, “All Star,” a nostalgic nod to the original 2001 animated film that had already showcased the song. The featurette also showcased a jarring image: five entities crafted from Shrek’s own flesh, an unsettling concept that may haunt my dreams, courtesy of Dreamworks’ social media team.
When wondering if anyone from Murphy’s original cast might make a comeback, the answer was straightforward: yes! Mike Myers is likely to reprise his role as the titular character, a testament to the actor’s enduring appeal following his relatively low profile since the release of the fourth Shrek film in 2010. Cameron Diaz’s potential return as Fiona is uncertain, but it’s likely given her recent comeback announcement; after retiring from acting in 2014, she revived her career in 2022, with a new project lined up – the comedy spy film Again in Motion, co-starring Jamie Foxx, set for release later this year.
While Antonio Banderas’ reprisal as Puss in Boots has not been formally confirmed, it is worth noting that his character’s 2022 spin-off film, The Final Want, concluded with a return to the Kingdom of Far Away, the primary setting for the second movie in the series. Walt Dohrn, a veteran collaborator on the Shrek franchise, having contributed to films like Shrek 2 and Shrek the Third as author, artist, and even providing the voice of Rumpelstiltskin in Shrek Forever After, is poised to direct the upcoming fifth installment.
Although the official announcement of Shrek 5 did not provide any updates on a potential Donkey spinoff, fans eagerly awaiting such news may need to wait a little longer for further information.
