Upcoming Pakistani animated film The Donkey King gets its first teaser
Getting major Shrek vibes from this one, but in a good way!
Save the date, guys, the most iconic character from Shrek is finally getting his own movie!
That’s right, you best get your waffles ready, because Universal Pictures announced Donkey is getting a movie on June 30, 2028.
The chatty sidekick to the franchise’s green protagonist has long been an audience favourite with his happy-go-lucky attitude and witty dialogue. He’s voiced by Eddie Murphy, who will continue in that role for this project and the upcoming Shrek 5 — which will screen exactly a year earlier on June 30, 2027.
The upcoming movie, which does not have an announced title yet, is billed as an origin story explaining how a donkey became the Donkey. It is the second character spin-off to come out of the franchise after a series of films about Puss in Boots.
Speaking to Screenrant last year, Murphy hinted at the film. “Donkey’s going to have his own movie, own little story with his dragon wife and his kids that are half-dragon and half-donkeys… They’ve written this funny story.”
The film will be directed by Charlie Bean — of the Lego Ninjago Movie — and Matt Flynn. Rebecca Huntley, who produced the last Kung Fu Panda movie, will also serve as the producer for this project.
The Shrek franchise is one of the most iconic animated ones of the 21st century, with the first movie having taken home the inaugural Animated Feature honour at the Oscars in 2001. The four films have also collectively raked in $3 billion, with another $1bn coming from the Puss in Boots spinoffs, making it a commercial success.