Featured Image Credit: DreamWorks
Topics: TV and Film, Eddie Murphy
Stewart Perrie
People have gone understandably wild at the news that Shrek 5 is in the works with the original cast potentially returning.
It's something that has been talked about for years, but now we've finally been given word that the gears are slowly turning in Tinseltown to give us one more movie about the iconic ogre.
Illumination Entertainment founder and CEO Chris Meledandri explained there are big expectations for the upcoming film's cast.
He told Variety: "You’re hard at work to build story elements and new characters that take you to brand new places. The original cast is a huge part of that.
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"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."
While that is absolutely titillating, that wasn't the only tidbit of information Chris gave in the interview.
He was asked about his thoughts on there being a spinoff movie centred entirely around Donkey.
The character has a soft spot in the hearts of many fans around the world and some believe it's time to give Eddie Murphy's character its chance to shine.
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It's clear audiences aren't over the Shrek universe, especially considering the latest Puss in Boots film, The Last Wish, became the highest rated in the franchise.
Eddie Murphy revealed earlier this year that he was dead keen on doing a spinoff film.
“If [DreamWorks] ever came with another Shrek, I’d do it in two seconds," he said in an interview to ETalk.
"I love Donkey. They did Puss in Boots movies. I was like, ‘They should have done a Donkey movie.’ Donkey is funnier than Puss in Boots. I mean, I love Puss in Boots, but he ain’t funny as the Donkey.”
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Melednadri was quizzed by Variety about whether he thought the character could have his own film and his response was: "Without question."
He was asked what he thought of Murphy's energetic pitch for the project and he said: “It’s evidence of his strong enthusiasm for a role that he so brilliantly inhabited and really created alongside the artists at DreamWorks.
"I found that comment to be very exciting.”
So, we've already got Murphy on board for a Donkey spinoff film and he's definitely ready for Shrek 5.
Mike Myers has also indicated he's up for a fifth run as the titular character and Antonio Banderas (who plays Puss in the franchise) says he'll reprise his role.
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The future is looking bright for the franchise.