Shrek 5: Confirmation, Cast & Everything We Know (2024)

After more than a decade since the last installment of the franchise, fans are still looking for Shrek 5 to take them back to Far, Far Away. In 2001, the landscape of animated films changed forever when Shrek premiered. A clever amalgamation of wry adult comedy and bucolic, kid-friendly whimsy, it puts a twist on the fairytale format with outrageous trope-smashing characters, a catchy soundtrack, and a wonderful message of self-discovery. It was swiftly followed by Shrek 2 in 2002, Shrek the Third in 2007, and Shrek Forever After in 2010.

Though development has been slow, Shrek 5 is still happening — and despite alterations in direction and storylines, it seems to finally be coming out of the ever-dreaded development hell. The success of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish has reignited interest in the Shrek franchise with the acclaimed spinoff movie teasing more adventures in the land of Far, Far Away. After such a long wait, Shrek 5 could prove to be the most exciting installment of the franchise that helped put Dreamworks on the map as a powerhouse of CGI animation.

The Latest Shrek 5 News

Eddie Murphy Confirms Production Has Started

For years, news about the upcoming sequel was purely speculative, but the latest update sees Eddie Murphy confirm Shrek 5 is in production. The Donkey voice actor spoke candidly about the future of the Dreamworks franchise when revealing that Shrek 5's production started "months ago", presumably referring to actors recording voice-overs. Murphy also went further when declaring that he expects the movie to premiere sometime in 2025 and that a Donkey-centric spinoff is in the works.

Read Murphy's full comments below:

We started doing Shrek 4 or [Shrek] 5 months ago. I did this, I recorded the first act, and we'll be doing it this year, we’ll finish it up. Shrek is coming out, and Donkey's gonna have his own movie. We're gonna do Donkey as well. So we're gonna do a Shrek , and we're doing a Donkey [movie]. [...] No, not at the same time. I started recording Shrek, I think it's coming out in 2025, and we're doing a Donkey one next.

Shrek 5 Is Confirmed

The Beloved Ogre's Return Is In The Works

Unlike other franchises, the future of the Shrek films was blocked out from the beginning, and Shrek 5 has theoretically been confirmed since the premiere of Shrek 2 in 2004. With each successive sequel, the five-movie plan was reaffirmed by Dreamworks, but news screeched to a halt after the release of 2010's Shrek Forever After. However, Shrek 5 was never really in any jeopardy, and the box-office success of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish necessitated the movie's development.

Shrek 5 Cast

Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey Will Return

The largest question looming over Shrek 5 was the status of the beloved main cast, but recent updates have confirmed the original trio will return. Being the franchise's largest cheerleader in recent years, Eddie Murphy confirmed his return as Donkey in both Shrek 5's cast and the upcoming Donkey spinoff. Likewise, the return of Mike Myers as the lovable ogre, Shrek, wasn't really a surprise considering his enthusiasm for potential sequels. The only question mark was the return of Cameron Diaz as Princess Fiona, since the actor largely retired from the limelight. Fortunately, Diaz has since abandoned her "retirement" and will voice the character.

The confirmed cast of Shrek 5 includes:

Actor	Shrek 5 Role
Mike Myers	Shrek
Eddie Murphy	Donkey
Cameron Diaz	Fiona

Shrek 5 Story Details

What Happens After Forever After?

Despite a slew of script-related updates over the years, no actual story details have been revealed about the long-awaited Shrek 5. With Shrek and Fiona settled down after Shrek 4, something big would need to happen to dislodge the two from their happy ever after. One avenue that could be explored would be Shrek and Fiona's kids, most of whom would be older teens by the time Shrek 5's story takes place. This could offer all sorts of narrative possibilities as Shrek ages and tries to stay in touch with the younger generation of fairy tale characters.