Fans of the ‘Shrek’ universe have reason to celebrate, as DreamWorks announced this Thursday (25) the arrival of a new film production. This time, the focus of the narrative will turn to the charismatic Donkey, the ogre’s inseparable companion, in a film derived from the main plot. It is a spin-off, as revealed by Variety, which will further expand the world of the franchise.
This strategy of exploring secondary characters has previously proven successful in the ‘Shrek’ universe. Notable examples include the solo adventures of ‘Puss in Boots’, with films released in 2011 and 2022, which followed the model of parallel narratives and achieved great success with audiences and critics.
The working title of the new production is ‘Donkey’, which means ‘Donkey’ in Portuguese. To the delight of admirers, Eddie Murphy, the original voice of the character in English, has already had his participation confirmed. The central objective of the film is to delve into the origin story of Shrek’s faithful squire, revealing how he evolved from a simple animal to the iconic Donkey that everyone knows.
The date set for its theatrical release is June 30, 2028. The creative team will feature Charlie Bean, known for his work on ‘LEGO Batman: The Movie’, as director. Matt Flynn, who was involved in ‘Puss in Boots 2: The Last Order’, will take on co-direction, while Rebecca Huntley, from ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’, will be responsible producer.
It is important to note that the long-awaited sequel, ‘Shrek 5’, is scheduled to be released in July 2027, preceding the premiere of ‘Donkey’ by a year. This new chapter will mark the return of the main saga 17 years after the release of ‘Shrek Forever After’, in 2010, the fourth film in the original series. DreamWorks is betting on launching Donkey’s spin-off even before the arrival of ‘Shrek 5’, a strategy that aims to maintain the franchise’s engagement for longer and explore characters already loved by the public.
A promotional trailer for the new project was recently released, and has already generated discussion among the public due to the animation style used.