Shrek 5 with original cast is finally in the works

Wake up and smell the pheromones: Shrek 5 is in the works, with the original cast “tremendously enthusiastic” about returning to their roles.

Shrek first hit the big screen in 2001, raking in more than $450 million, taking home the first-ever Oscar for Best Animated Feature, and establishing an impossible-to-reach position in pop culture. Shrek is life, after all.

We’ve since had three direct sequels, the last of which was released in 2010 with Shrek Forever After. While somewhat of a sendoff for the ogre, there’s also been spinoffs, such as the Puss in Boots franchise.

After The Last Wish went down a storm at the box office, a fifth Shrek movie seemed like a real possibility – and now, it’s actually in the works at DreamWorks.

Shrek 5 “talks are starting” with original cast

In a new interview with Variety ahead of the release of The Super Mario Bros Movie, Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri discussed the demand for Shrek 5.

“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,” he said.

“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.”

We should clarify, the original cast – Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, and Eddie Murphy – haven’t officially signed on, but they’re keen to come back, according to Meledandri. “We anticipate the cast coming back, he said.

“Talks are starting now, and every indication that we’ve gotten is there’s tremendous enthusiasm on behalf of the actors to return.”

The Illumination chief also addressed Murphy’s comments about Puss in Boots earlier this year. “Donkey is funnier than Puss in Boots. I mean, I love Puss in Boots, but he ain’t funny as the Donkey,” he joked in an interview.

While also teasing a possible Donkey spinoff, Meledandri 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.”

Shrek 5 doesn’t currently have a release date, but you can find out more about the movie here.