It’s the news we all needed
The internet has gone absolutely berserk after reports have emerged suggesting a release date for Shrek 5.
Shrek 5 began trending yesterday after a screenshot of an alleged LinkedIn resume from a woman who claims to have worked at NBCUniversal went viral and revealed what she had been working on.
If the screenshot is completely legit, then the woman definitely made a big mistake, as she certainly should not have left in the fact she worked on Shrek 5 this year, and really shouldn’t have confirmed that it’s set for release in 2025.
In case you were wondering just what the woman was doing on the film, she says that she was doing consumer product work, which is more or less how to subtly put brands into the movie.
Since the post went viral, the woman’s profile has been edited and now has no mention of Shrek whatsoever.
Whilst we’ve known since 2017 that Shrek 5 is in the works and a script is ready, we’ve been told very little else about the project.
But earlier this year, Illumination Entertainment founder and CEO Chris Meledandri revealed the expectations for the upcoming film’s cast.
He explained that, similarly to the process the studio went through with the new Super Mario film, it was all about film creators looking at the “core elements” of a franchise that audiences loved.
Speaking to Variety, 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 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.”
And it sure sounds like the original cast want to be involved.
Back in January, Murphy said he would return as Donkey for a Shrek film “in two seconds, with Meledandri saying he was “thrilled” to hear Murphy’s comments.
“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,” he said.
Murphy isn’t the only one who’s openly spoken about the next Shrek film.
Last year, Myers said he would be “thrilled” if he had to do one Shrek film a year, whilst Banderas told Deadline in November: “There is probably gonna be another, and Shrek is probably coming back.”
Although the original cast look likely to be returning, it sounds like Shrek 5 will feel very different to previous films, and should perhaps be seen more as a reboot than a sequel.
In his interview with The Hollywood Reporter in 2017 to discuss the next Shrek film, screenwriter Michael McCullers teased: “Shrek 5 is being developed. I finished that script, which I really, really, really love.
“It’s really personal to me. It’s got a pretty big reinvention behind it that I guess I can’t reveal.
“Since DreamWorks was sold to Universal in that time for over $3 billion [£2.4bn], I imagine they’re particularly interested in it stepping up. And actually figuring out the future of the franchise in that way on the corporate level.
“Reinvention was sort of called for. There’s been four movies and a lot of material, so the characters are pretty beloved and they’re great characters, but you also have to think of a pretty new take at that point.”
Related links:
- Crocs announce Shrek-clogs are coming soon
- Shrek 5 in the works with original cast set to return
- ‘Barbie house’ where every room is bright pink goes up for sale on UK street
