Confirmation, Cast & Everything We Know

Summary

• A Donkey spinoff of the Shrek franchise is in the works, led by Eddie Murphy.
• Production on Shrek 5 and the Donkey spinoff is already underway.
• Little is known about the plot and timeline for the Donkey movie, but Eddie Murphy is confirmed as the voice of Donkey.

The Shrek franchise continues to grow with the announcement of a brand-new Donkey spinoff that will see Eddie Murphy return to voice the beloved role. Beginning with the release of the eponymous film in 2001, the Shrek film series has blossomed into one of the biggest animated movie juggernauts in pop culture history, due in large part to characters like Donkey. The lovable talking pack animal (voiced by Eddie Murphy) stole the hearts of fans with his silly antics and unflinching loyalty, and Murphy has returned to play the character in a slew of sequels over the decades.

The movies in the Shrek film series have all been powerhouses at the box office, but the last main entry in the Shrek franchise came nearly a decade and a half ago, in 2010. Shrek Forever After was the fourth installment in the series, and though its critical reception was lackluster, it was a big financial success. This prompted a pivot toward spinoffs, with 2011’s Puss in Boots beginning a new series centered around Antonio Banderas’ titular feline. Now, another offshoot series is beginning with Murphy’s Donkey being the subject of his very own spinoff movie.

The Donkey Spinoff Latest News

Eddie Murphy Confirms A Donkey Movie Is In The Works

Murphy mentioned that he would be doing that ”
one next
“, referring to the spinoff, but with animated films having such protracted production schedules, there’s no telling when it could arrive.

More than a year after the A-list actor expressed his desire to star in a Shrek off-shoot, the latest news confirms that a Donkey spinoff is in the works. The news was broken alongside the reveal that production was already underway on the long-gestating Shrek 5 which will see Eddie Murphy reprise his role as Donkey alongside his co-stars Mike Myers and Cameron Diaz. Though Murphy had little to offer by way of specific details, his enthusiasm for the project is proof that he will be voicing the character in the spinoff as well.

Shrek 5
currently has a release window of 2025 but no release date has been announced yet.

A timeline for the Donkey spinoff remains elusive, but based on Murphy’s comments, it will likely take a while for the movie to materialize. Murphy mentioned that he would be doing that “one next“, referring to the spinoff, but with animated films having such protracted production schedules, there’s no telling when it could arrive. However, with the potential for box-office gold, DreamWorks may be incentivized to rush the spinoff into production as soon as possible.

Read Murphy’s comments below:

We started doing
Shrek 4
or
[Shrek] 5
months ago. I did this, I recorded the first act, and we’ll be doing it this year, we’ll finish it up.
Shrek
is coming out, and Donkey’s gonna have his own movie. We’re gonna do Donkey as well. So we’re gonna do a
Shrek
, and we’re doing a Donkey [movie]. […] No, not at the same time. I started recording Shrek, I think it’s coming out in 2025, and we’re doing a Donkey one next.

The Donkey Spinoff Is Confirmed

The Project Was Officially Revealed In June 2024

Showing how much pull he still has in Hollywood, Eddie Murphy essentially spoke the Donkey spinoff into existence. The A-lister cheekily suggested that Donkey should get his own Shrek spinoff in 2023 following the whirlwind success of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and DreamWorks listened. Along with Shrek 5, DreamWorks also green-lit the Donkey spinoff with Murphy starring in both. However, little is known about the Donkey movie and a timeline of production likely won’t come for some time.

The Donkey Spinoff Cast

Eddie Murphy Will Voice Donkey

So far, the only name attached to the Donkey spinoff is Eddie Murphy, and the popular comic actor is set to reprise the role of Donkey that he has been playing off and on since 2001. At this juncture, it is impossible to speculate about the rest of the cast, and things likely won’t become clearer until plot details arrive. It’s unknown if characters like Shrek and Fiona will be in the spinoff, or if an entirely new ensemble of characters will be needed for Donkey’s standalone adventure.

The Donkey Spinoff Story Details

No Details Are Known About Donkey’s Standalone Adventure

the spinoff could follow an older Donkey as he finally tries to do something for himself and finds that he is capable of being the hero instead of the dutiful sidekick

Unfortunately, no details regarding the Donkey spinoff’s story have been revealed, and it will probably stay that way for a long time. However, it’s possible to speculate about what could happen in the movie, especially when using hits like Puss in Boots: The Last Wish as a measuring stick. The Donkey movie will likely isolate the titular character from other familiar Shrek figures, and either explore his past before the events of the 2001 movie, or send him off on his own adventure.

Little is known about the lovable pack animal before he turns up in Shrek’s swamp, and a story of adventure, tragedy, and humor could be culled from the few clues viewers are given at the beginning of the movie. On the other hand, the spinoff could follow an older Donkey as he finally tries to do something for himself and finds that he is capable of being the hero instead of the dutiful sidekick. Most likely, the Donkey spinoff will be a mixture of both ideas.