Illumination Studios' CEO Chris Meledandri revealed in 2023 his plans to develop not just Shrek 5 with DreamWorks Animation, bringing back the main cast of the franchise, Mike Myers (the titular character), Cameron Diaz (Princess Fiona), and Eddie Murphy (Donkey), but also a standalone Donkey film. Eddie Murphy, the voice of Donkey in the franchise, has now confirmed in an interview with Collider that the fifth part is being developed and that a Donkey film would also be made. "We started doing Shrek 4 or Shrek 5 months ago,” the actor stated. “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 film. We're gonna do Donkey as well. So we're gonna do a Shrek, and we're doing a Donkey film."

Murphy also stated that he thinks that Shrek 5 will release in 2025, followed by the Donkey film. Donkey is not the first character from the Shrek universe to have a spinoff; Antonio Banderas reprised his character in two Puss in Boots films and a web series.

The franchise started with 2001's Shrek, followed by a second part in 2004, a third part in 2007, and a fourth in 2010. It has been 14 years since the release of Shrek Forever After, the last film in the franchise.

Further details about the plot, cast, and crew of the two films are awaited.

Murphy, meanwhile, will next be seen in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, set to release on July 3 on Netflix.