Although it's been over a decade since Dreamworks last visited the Shrek franchise, mainstay Eddie Murphy recently touched on the idea of coming back to play Donkey in a potential Shrek 5.
Even after more than 20 years, the Shrek saga remains one of the most popular animated franchises in the game, even being used for a joke in 2022's She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Shrek, Donkey, and Fiona's adventures have become pop culture legends as the first four movies comprise one of the five highest-grossing franchises in animated movie history - even amongst competition like Toy Story.
Although Shrek has remained prominent in recent years because of spin-offs, including the recent hit sequel Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, there have only a couple of updates on progress regarding Shrek 5. Murphy revealed that a script had been written in 2016, and in 2018, Chris Meledandri was tapped to either reboot the franchise or push it forward into new stories.
But should the fifth movie happen at some point, Mike Myers' partner-in-crime from the first four outings appears to be all-in for another round of hilarious fun.
Eddie Murphy Addresses Possible Shrek 5 Comeback
Speaking with E-Talk CTV, Shrek actor Eddie Murphy addressed whether he would reprise his role as Donkey if Shrek 5 was made.
He made it clear that he would "do it in two seconds" if he were asked to return, expressing his love for the Shrek franchise while also joking that they should've made a movie for his character over Antonio Banderas' Puss in Boots:
"Oh, I'd absolutely be open. If they ever came with another Shrek, I’d do it in two seconds. I love Donkey. I wish they would…they did the Puss in Boots movies, I was like ‘They should’ve done a Donkey movie, Donkey is funnier than Puss in Boots!’ I mean, I love Puss in Boots, but he aint funny as a Donkey!"
Additionally, NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell noted at a recent earnings call that the company's acquisition of Dreamworks has "been paying off steadily" since it was completed, praising Puss in Boots: The Last Wish for its box office success. These quotes came from The Hollywood Reporter:
"We are always looking for bolt-on acquisitions that bolster our business. And I’ll give two examples. We bought DreamWorks (Animation), and it’s been paying off steadily since our acquisition. And just now, Puss in Boots (The Last Wish), which is a big hit at the box office and really our entry back into the Shrek universe, continues to make that acquisition look really favorable."
Will Shrek 5 Ever Be Made?
Dreamworks' recent success with the Puss in Boots movies shows just how popular the long-running franchise is well into the 21st century. There are even rumors that other Dreamworks projects will be brought back into the forefront as well after a report noted that a live-action How to Train Your Dragon movie is on the table for production.
As for Eddie Murphy, he has no hesitation in saying he'd enjoy playing Donkey for another movie, especially with it being one of the most popular roles he's played over his long career.
The actor is already working on one legacy sequel with Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley, bringing one of his live-action icons back for a fourth round of action in 2024. And with the last Shrek movie having hit theaters way back in 2010, now could be a great time to revisit the ogre and his best donkey pal for another round of action after their alternate-reality shenanigans from Shrek Forever After.
Shrek 5 hasn't made it far past the rumor mill over the last 13 years, with only a couple of updates teasing that the sequel was in development. But should it eventually become a reality, odds are high that Eddie Murphy will be back in the voiceover booth to bring his best comedic antics to the big screen once more.
