Donkey Actor Blasts New ‘Shrek 5’ Designs, Says “Donkey Looks Homeless”

Even Donkey himself isn’t sure what to think about the new character designs for DreamWorks’ upcoming Shrek sequel.

While animation continues to be a critical and commercial powerhouse, with Disney’s Moana and Inside Out sequels dominating the box office during 2024, few films or franchises have proven quite as timeless as Shrek.

Released in 2001, the original Shrek remains one of DreamWorks and Universal’s most beloved and culture-defining films, spawning a long line of sequels and spin-offs over the last two decades. Guests can experience Shrek in a multitude of ways, with the character being a prominent part of Universal’s theme parks.

At the Universal Orlando Resort in Florida, guests have the chance to actually meet and interact with Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey, who are played by live performers. This experience often results in hilarious encounters, with Donkey being especially quick-witted.

However, a recent interaction saw Donkey poke fun at DreamWorks’ upcoming Shrek 5, more specifically, the way he looks in the new film.

Donkey Actor Blasts His New Look in Shrek 5

A group of Shrek characters, including a green ogre, a donkey, a wooden puppet, and ginger-haired ogres, stand in a forest setting. They all have surprised or curious expressions on their faces as they contemplate the possibilities of a new sequel. — Credit: Universal

The encounter was captured in a video and shared to TikTok by @epicfamilyquests and went viral due to what Donkey had to say.

A family approaches Fiona and Donkey and is asked if they saw the new teaser trailer for Shrek 5. They respond “no,” prompting Dnkey to fill them in. “I look rough,” says Donkey in regard to his new appearance. “Donkey looks homeless.”

The hilarious encounter went viral on the social media platform, receiving well over 500k views.

@epicfamilyquests

Donkey is not happy with the new Shrek trailer 🤣🤣⠀ ⠀ What are your thoughts on the new trailer??⠀ ⠀ Full meet coming to YT. We talked about dragons too. ⠀ ⠀ #shrek #shrek5 #dreamworks #dreamworksanimation #dreamworksland #universalorlando

♬ original sound – Candace

Universal Studios is known for its excellent theme park entertainment offerings, with this Shrek and Donkey encounter being one of the biggest hits among fans. The actors and actresses that portray these characters really put their all into the performance, with Donkey especially being a fan favorite.

Donkey isn’t the only one perplexed by his new appearance. Reactions are still pouring in regarding the teaser trailer for Shrek 5, which dropped at the end of February. Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey all sport brand-new looks in the trailer, something that rubbed a lot of hardcore fans the wrong way. Considering it will be 16 years between the last Shrek film and Shrek 5, it’s not surprising to see there have been some visual upgrades.

However, many fans likely didn’t expect the core cast of characters to look so different.

Known for its cheeky humor and unique animation style, the Shrek franchise has grown into a massive pop culture phenomenon that stretches far beyond the big screen. The original Shrek was a huge success for DreamWorks and the animation industry as a whole, grossing $nearly $500 million.

Shrek 5 has been coming for a long time and was originally announced back in 2016. However, due to production issues and the outbreak of COVID-19, plans for Shrek’s theatrical comeback went silent. In 2023, CEO Chris Meledandri shared an update on the project.

Shrek 5 is set to release in theaters on December 23, 2026.

Are you looking forward to Shrek 5?