'Shrek 5' Release Date, Spoilers: Original Cast to Return?

It is almost a decade since fans thought the tale from the Kingdom Far Far Away was over. But there have been several developments over the years making “Shrek 5” possible. But with a very long hiatus, it would certainly help the franchise revival if the original cast will reprise their roles.

The most recent news about “Shrek 5” cast came from Eddie Murphy in 2016. Months after DreamWorks announced it is making a fifth installment, Murphy hinted at having seen the script written for the animated film. Speaking to Cinema Blend months after “Shrek 5” was announced, the actor said producer Jeffrey Katzenberg already completed the script. “They've got a good script, they wrote a nice good script,” Murphy added.

In the same interview, Murphy reiterated that the initial release date window for “Shrek 5” was “2019 or 2020.” But it is already halfway through the year and with a blockbuster Disney film coming out in the holiday season — “Frozen 2” — it seems unlikely that the 2019 target will be achieved. So how about a 2020 release date?

Unfortunately, Murphy’s 2016 interview was the last statement fans have heard from any of the original cast members. And there have also been several developments and changes in the production of “Shrek 5” in the following years. For one, Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri was confirmed to lead the making of the fifth film in late 2018 where the possibility of rebooting the franchise was floated.

In Variety’s 2018 profile of Meledandri, it was confirmed that he aims to have a “fresh” approach in tackling “Shrek 5,” but he does not want to completely tweak the franchise. If given a chance, Variety reported that Meledandri wants to bring back the original cast including Murphy as Donkey, Mike Myers as the titular protagonist, Cameron Diaz as Fiona, and Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots.

Meanwhile, the news of Meledandri taking over the movie project is also a good indication that “Shrek 5” is not canceled. But with the changes in major production details, it is difficult to estimate whether the movie would be ready for a 2020 release date.