Donkey Spinoff Set for June 2028 with Murphy
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- Universal Pictures and DreamWorks slated "Donkey" for a June 30, 2028 theatrical release, positioning it as an origin story of how a donkey became Donkey.
- Eddie Murphy returns to voice his signature character in the spinoff, continuing a role he originated in 2001's "Shrek."
- Charlie Bean ("The Lego Batman Movie," live-action "Lady and the Tramp") directs, with Rebecca Huntley producing ("Kung Fu Panda 4," "The Bad Guys") and Matt Flynn co-directing.
- "Shrek 5" arrives in summer 2027 — one year before the Donkey spinoff — with Mike Myers, Murphy, and Cameron Diaz reprising Shrek, Donkey, and Fiona, and Zendaya joining the cast.
- Conrad Vernon and Walt Dohrn, franchise veterans, are directing "Shrek 5," marking their continued stewardship of the Far, Far Away universe.
- The Shrek franchise has grossed more than $3 billion worldwide across three sequels (2004–2010) and two "Puss in Boots" spinoffs, on top of the 2000 original's near-$500 million global haul and its history-making Oscar win for Best Animated Feature.
Why it matters: Universal and DreamWorks are stacking two theatrical releases — "Shrek 5" in 2027 and "Donkey" in 2028 — within consecutive summers, betting that a $3-billion-grossing franchise can anchor annual tentpole slots. With Zendaya added to the cast and Eddie Murphy's most commercially reliable character getting an origin-story treatment, the studio is testing whether twenty-plus-year-old animated IP can still drive families to theaters.
