Eddie Murphy Drops a Surprise Update on ‘Shrek 5′

Over a decade after Shrek Forever After was released and marketed as the last film in the Shrek series, Eddie Murphy has dropped an unexpected update on Shrek 5.

Following the critical acclaim of the first Shrek movie in 20o1, three sequels were released. When Shrek Forever After’s title was announced, DreamWorks confirmed it was set to be the last film in the series. Following the fourth film, the franchise switched directions with the spinoff film Puss in Boots and its sequel, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. However, the original plan for the franchise was for there to be five Shrek films. It was only during the development of Shrek Forever After that the creative team realized it functioned well as a conclusion to the story, thus deciding to end the series there. Given that a fifth film was once in the picture, though, a small chance remained that it could still be made someday.

Finally, in 2016, after NBCUniversal purchased DreamWorks Animation, the studio announced it had plans to expand the Shrek franchise with a fifth movie. Although the movie was initially slated to release in 2019 or 2020, updates on the film slowly trailed off. After years of silence, Shrek 5′s producer, Chris Meledandri, indicated that it was still in the early stages of development. However, the lack of progress over the past eight years has led some fans to question whether the movie is still happening.

Will there be a Shrek 5?

Viewers can rest assured that Shrek 5 is officially confirmed. Recently, Murphy revealed in an interview with Collider that the movie is actually further along in production than initially thought. He surprised fans when he stated he had already begun recording his lines for Donkey in Shrek 5 and that he expected the movie to come out next year. Additionally, he confirmed that a Donkey spinoff film is in development and will arrive after Shrek 5.

Since it was believed the movie was still in the planning stages, it’s quite exciting to learn that production had already commenced. While DreamWorks Animation will need to confirm the release window, fans at least know now that the movie is making significant progress. As Shrek 5′s production continues, further details about its cast and plot should be forthcoming.