Shrek 5 Teased With Original Cast Returning

Shrek 5 is in the works with the cast returning for the sequel, and Illumination is also dialing up more Sing, Secret Life of Pets, and Despicable Me. CEO Chris Meledandri talked about all these follow-ups during a chat with Variety promoting The Super Mario Bros. Movie. While all that is exciting, the real lead here is Shrek 5. Getting Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and more back for a sequel would provide some nostalgic lure for older movie-goers that probably have some have some little ones of their own by now. Also, with the strength of the Puss In Boots franchise, there's clearly demand for stories set inside the world of Shrek still. Meledandri also sees this as a necessary dimension for whatever they do next.

"We anticipate the cast coming back," Meledandri revealed. "Talks are starting now, and every indication that we've gotten is there's tremendous enthusiasm on behalf of the actors to return."

"It's not that dissimilar to the process that we went through with 'Mario,' where you look at what the core elements are that audiences have loved, and you do your very best to honor those core elements," Meledandri explained. "And then 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."

Eddie Murphy Has Already Asked To Come Back

Earlier this year, Murphy was asked about his friend Antonio Banderas' run in the Puss In Boots franchise. In the comedian's opinion, the Donkey should have had his own spinoff a while ago because of the character's popularity during the original run. It sounds like he's probably going to get his wish.

"If [DreamWorks] ever came with another 'Shrek,' I'd do it in two seconds. 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."

Reading that in the papers, Meledandri was absolutely thrilled. He told Variety that this was just further proof of how important those movies were for a lot of fans. At this point, a lot of the animated family movie genre consists of single entries with a couple that stand out because of their ability to endure. However, not a lot of them can boast the longevity of Shrek and all the spinoffs.

The CEO mused, "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."

Would you want to see a Shrek 5? Let us know in the comments down below!