Years have passed since the making of “Shrek 5” was officially announced. It could be making fans wonder whether or not the movie project is still a go.
Based on the latest official updates from producers, fans can still expect the film to be released. However, there are indications that it is impossible to premiere anytime before 2022.
‘Shrek 5’ production is still on, per latest official updates
When the fourth film was titled “Shrek Forever After” and there were no confirmed plans of continuing the franchise after 2010, many fans thought the series had reached its ultimate ending. But that changed in 2014 when DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg hinted at only giving the characters some rest, thus, opening the possibility for the release of “Shrek 5.”
That plan was not confirmed until 2016 when it was also reported that Illumination boss and the mastermind of the “Despicable Me” franchise, Chris Meledandri, will be leading the production. It was even reported at the time that “Shrek 5” is slated for a 2019 premiere. Eddie Murphy, who voices main character Donkey, further said that the script was done and that the movie could be out by 2019 or 2020.
However, the official updates on “Shrek 5” noticeably stopped coming after those reports in 2016 until Meledandri’s Variety profile was published in late 2018. So any speculations that the movie project has been canceled were once again quashed.
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The same 2018 interview also sparked anticipations that “Shrek 5” will serve as a franchise revival. “The challenge for us has been to find something that really does feel like it’s not simply yet another film in a series of sequels,” Meledandri explained. The producer also hinted at wanting to deliver a plot that would not feel like a mere sequel. And that makes sense since “Shrek 5” could be released over a decade since “Shrek Forever After” premiered.
Another important question about “Shrek 5” is whether or not the original cast will be coming back. To that, Meledandri hinted at leaning towards the “nostalgic feelings” or opting to have the main cast intact. Depending on the actors’ responses, it remains possible for Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, and Eddie Murphy to reprise their roles as Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey respectively.
