DreamWorks Announces 'Donkey' Prequel Film Arriving in Summer 2028

The Shrek Universe is expanding further with the announcement of a new prequel centered on one of the franchise's most beloved characters.

'Donkey' is slated to arrive on June 30, 2028, marking the eighth installment across the Shrek franchise and its spinoffs. The film will serve as an origin story exploring the early life of the wisecracking character.

Eddie Murphy will return to voice Donkey, with Charlie Bean helming the project. The film promises to deliver a story centered on Donkey's family life, featuring his dragon wife and their offspring—creatures that are part donkey and part dragon.

The project comes as momentum builds around the broader Shrek slate. Shrek 5 released a teaser trailer and is scheduled for 2027, with Murphy currently working on voice recording for that film as well. According to Murphy, production on Donkey was set to commence in September, following the ongoing work on the fifth main installment.

A February teaser offered audiences their first look at the film's new characters, including a red-haired character voiced by Zendaya who is positioned as Shrek's daughter. The clip featured a comedic exchange with the magic mirror, culminating in suggestive photographs of the ogre protagonist that drew varied reactions from the family members present in the scene.

The Donkey spinoff follows the successful model established by the Puss in Boots films, which carved out their own narrative space within the Shrek Universe while maintaining connections to the main storyline.