Eddie Murphy Confirms ‘Shrek’s Donkey Is Getting His Own Film

Eddie Murphy’s Shrek character Donkey is getting his own film, which will be released in 2028.

As a devoted cinema enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that at the age of 64, I’ll be lending my voice to Shrek’s loyal companion, Donkey, in the upcoming fifth installment of the DreamWorks animated film series, “Shrek,” slated for release on December 18, 2026. Excitingly, work on a Donkey spinoff movie is set to commence in September 2025. In this standalone tale, you’ll find Donkey embarking on his own adventure with his dragon wife, and their unique family of half-dragon, half-donkeys offspring.

Inquired about whether the animation for Shrek 5 is currently underway, he informed ScreenRant: “Not at this moment, we are focusing on voiceovers. In fact, we’re still in the recording studio, and as a matter of fact, we’re still working on Shrek.

In September, we’ll begin working on ‘Donkey,’ marking our third donkey-themed project. Meanwhile, we’re roughly two years deep into producing ‘Shrek 5.’ I’m just about to dive back into recording for ‘Donkey’ starting from September.

Assuring you that “Donkey” will be a standalone film rather than a television series, Eddie went on to explain: “Just like Puss in Boots had his own feature film, ‘Donkey’ too is set to have its own movie, complete with an individual narrative featuring his dragon spouse and offspring who are half-dragon, half-donkeys.

“They’ve written this funny story. We’re doing that, starting that in September.”

In February, Zendaya’s casting in Shrek 5 was confirmed in the movie’s trailer.

In a simple rephrase, the 28-year-old celebrity is set to lend their voice to the main character, the ogre (originally played by Mike Myers), as well as Fiona’s daughter named Felicia.

In the year 2001, the movie “Shrek” debuted, introducing the tale of an ogre named Shrek who finds himself falling in love with Princess Fiona. A second installment continued the storyline in 2004.

In the 2007 film “Shrek the Third”, it became known that Fiona, who is now wedded to Shrek, was expecting a child. The most recent significant release in the series, “Shrek Ever After”, came out in 2010.

Now, Eddie’s suggestion implies that, similar to the previous Shrek films, the upcoming Shrek 5 is expected to brim with humor.

He shared with US talk show “Extra” that he’s recorded some fantastic material: “You see, unlike in the ‘Shrek’ films where we don’t receive a complete script, we get the dialogue for each recording session as we go. What I can tell you is that I’ve been working on some seriously hilarious stuff.

Eddie mentioned that he’ll meet up with his fellow actors, like Cameron who is 52, and Mike who is 62, exclusively during the red carpet event of Shrek 5 premiere.

He mentioned that at the conclusion of the film or upon its release, we’ll meet up at the premiere, but throughout the entire movie, you’re not seen with anyone else. The scene is mostly just you alone with a microphone.

The Scariest Kids Movies in History

10. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

The cherished movie adaptation is derived from the popular children’s book “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” penned by Roald Dahl. It tells an endearing story about a destitute young boy whose dreams become reality, but upon closer examination, it can be seen as a somewhat ominous tale about an odd candy factory owner who selects his heir by gradually eliminating a group of children. A bit less wholesome than it initially appears.

9. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Disney’s first complete animated movie was not shy about being eerie. Apart from the Spooky Trees, there was an undeniable sinister quality to the evil queen who sought to encase the bleeding heart of an innocent child in a container. Fortunately, the Seven Dwarfs provided some much-needed levity.

8. The Last Unicorn

As a movie critic, I found myself utterly captivated by the 1982 animated masterpiece, “The Last Unicorn,” a unique blend of Japanese and American creativity. This film is brimming with peculiar scenes—from an intoxicated butterfly to a sinister skeleton, and yes, even a tree endowed with ample… endowments.

However, none of these quirks compare to the sheer terror evoked by the Red Bull, a nightmarish, flaming demon creature whose image continues to linger in my dreams as a chilling reminder of this cinematic journey.

7. James and the Giant Peach

Brimming with anthropomorphic centipedes, spiders, and wicked step-relatives (oh dear!), James and the Giant Peach was a spine-tingling tale for youngsters. The animation style of producers Tim Burton and directors Henry Selick added an extra layer of eeriness to the narrative, causing shivers down the spines of many children. Doesn’t that peach bite back give you a bit of anxiety?

6. Pinocchio

The enchanting Disney story of fairytales has a hidden layer of gloominess. For instance, Pinocchio experiences a heart-wrenching death before the Blue Fairy miraculously brings him back to life. Furthermore, it’s hard to ignore the disturbing scene at Pleasure Island where children are lured into gambling, smoking, and drinking, only to be transformed into donkeys and sold off as laborers – which is far from wholesome.

5. All Dogs Go To Heaven

This movie is unique because it’s the one and only that depicts a dog venturing to Hell. To make things even more unsettling, there’s a sinister dog-related crime syndicate and an excessive amount of violence. Our protagonist, Charlie, ultimately sacrifices himself to save a child, but since he did a good deed, he manages to secure a spot in heaven. However, he still has to die. So, does this count as a happy ending? Well, it might just spark a lifelong philosophical debate about life and death for many young viewers.

4. The Secret of NIMH

Revising the statement for a more natural and accessible read: The storyline of the 1982 animated film The Secret of NIMH is driven by rats battling pneumonia and drug complications, which were loosely based on experiments conducted at the National Institute of Mental Health with lab rats in mid-20th century. One may wonder, how could this have been a children’s movie?

3. Watership Down

In the spirit of Richard Adams’ 1972 novel “Watership Down,” we follow a group of rabbits on a hazardous trek to shield their entire burrow from human threat. Yet, the movie was far more brutal than anticipated, leaving indelible images of ferocious rabbits etched in our minds. From now on, we’ll find it hard to view rabbits as merely adorable creatures.

2. Return to Oz

In a different yet straightforward way: The film The Wizard of Oz had some scary scenes, but its follow-up Return to Oz was truly terrifying. Poor Dorothy ends up in electric shock treatment at the hands of Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, only to return to a devastated Oz populated by an unsettling array of new characters. The Wheelers, part human, part bicycle, are far more menacing than the Flying Monkeys could ever be. If you were unfortunate enough to watch this movie as a child, I feel for you.

1. Coraline

This animated film, titled “Coraline“, might be one of the scariest children’s movies ever made. The dark and unsettling portrayal of Coraline’s life and her terrifying confrontation with the Other Mother create a chilling atmosphere that penetrates to the very core. Both kids and adults will find this movie equally unnerving. It tackles profound themes such as family values and the significance of valuing what you have before it disappears, which is quite thought-provoking for a story about an 11-year-old girl with blue hair.

2025-07-28 16:56