Beloved Shrek character Donkey is getting his own spin-off movie, with a release date set for 2028.
Voiced by Eddie Murphy, Donkey has been one of the main characters in the Shrek franchise, appearing in all four movies as well as the forthcoming fifth instalment, which is released next summer. He has also featured in short films, TV specials, theme park rides, and video games.
Thus far, the only Shrek character to receive their own movie spin-off is Puss In Boots, who starred in his own movie in 2011, as well as a sequel in 2022. However, Donkey will get the spotlight to himself in a film scheduled for a June 30, 2028 release.
According to Variety, the film, titled Donkey, will be an origin story with Murphy voicing a younger version of the character in the story of how he got to where audiences found him in the first film. Donkey will be directed by Charlie Bean, who helmed The Lego Ninjago Movie and Disney’s live-action Lady And The Tramp, and Matt Flynn, who worked on the second Puss In Boots film as a story artist.
Before that, Shrek 5 will arrive in cinemas in June 2027, with the regular cast of Murphy, Mike Myers, and Cameron Diaz being joined by Zendaya as Shrek and Fiona’s daughter. While originally intended for release this year, last August it was confirmed as being delayed. The first teaser for the film was released last February, with fans reacting negatively to the film’s shift in animation style. One social media user condemned the change as “straight up disrespectful”.
Elsewhere, Mike Myers has teased a return to one of his other successful franchises, Austin Powers. When asked during a World Cup watch-along whether there would be a new film in the works, Myers gave an enthusiastic “yes!” in reply.