FILE - Eddie Murphy attends Los Angeles premiere of Netflixs "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F" at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on June 20, 2024, in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES - Get excited, "Shrek" fans.
More than 20 years after the first film’s release, Eddie Murphy confirmed that work on an upcoming fifth movie has already begun – and Donkey is apparently getting his own spin-off, too.
Murphy, who has voiced the beloved Donkey character in the "Shrek" franchise, revealed the news in an interview with Collider this week while promoting "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F."
"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," Murphy told Collider in an interview published on Monday.
"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]," the 63-year-old added.
When asked if he was recording for both projects simultaneously, Murphy clarified: "I started recording ‘Shrek,’ I think it’s coming out in 2025, and we’re doing a Donkey one next."
DreamWorks Animation Studios, which produces the "Shrek" films, did not immediately confirm the updates.
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Take a peek inside Shrek's Swamp home on Airbnb
Stay at Shrek's swamp treehouse for free this October. The mud-laden swamp home is available for a two-night stay with up to three guests. (Credit: Airbnb).
The popular animated franchise began in 2001 with the release of "Shrek," loosely based on the stories written by William Steig in 1990. The original film follows a big green ogre voiced by Mike Myers, who lives in a "far away swamp" and is forced on an adventure to save Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) from a dragon by the evil Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow).
"Shrek" went on to spawn three sequels – 2004’s "Shrek 2," 2007’s "Shrek the Third" and 2010’s "Shrek Forever After."
There have also been two spin-offs based on the character Puss in Boots, voiced by Antonio Banderas: 2011's "Puss in Boots" and its sequel, 2022's "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish."
"Shrek 5" was previously discussed by Illumination CEO and founder Chris Meledandri in April, who confirmed that it was in development with the original cast in talks to return.
"We anticipate the cast coming back. Talks are starting now, and every indication that we’ve gotten is there’s tremendous enthusiasm on behalf of the actors to return," Meledandri told Variety.
This story was reported from Cincinnati.