Summary

Donkey's spin-off movie is a decade too late.
Donkey might struggle as a lead character without Shrek.
Animated genre success ensures Donkey movie box office success.

The Shrek franchise is one of the most popular in cinematic history, with all the movies combined having grossed over $ 4 billion worldwide. Therefore, it’s not a surprise that DreamWorks is now looking to create a spin-off movie based on Eddie Murphy’s character, Donkey.

This franchise is the 17th highest-grossing in movie history, and the second-highest-grossing within the animated genre; therefore, adding another film makes sense from a business perspective. However, it is a movie that is coming far later than it should have, and that might be problematic.

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By Matthew Wilkinson

The Donkey Movie Is A Decade Too Late

The Shrek Franchise Isn’t At Its Peak Right Now

The original Shrek movie was released back in 2001 to critical and commercial acclaim, with the green ogre and his supporting cast of fairytale characters becoming a gigantic success. However, it was Donkey who stole the show throughout that movie, with his comedic one-liners providing some levity throughout the story that audiences appreciated. Murphy brought all of his unique charisma to ensure that fans were entertained, with almost all of his lines providing a reason to laugh. Donkey is known for being a chatterbox, yet he’s also got a lot of heart, and he instantly became one of the most iconic animated characters of all time. His popularity only increased with the sequels, particularly Shrek 2, which is arguably the best installment in this franchise. Yet at the time, DreamWorks opted not to create a Donkey movie, despite his popularity as a character.

That’s what makes the timing of this spin-off movie feel so strange, as it’s arguably a decade too late. Shrek Forever After was released in 2010, marking the last time fans were truly invested in the popular sidekick. While Shrek 5 is set to be released in 2026, introducing new characters, there is no guarantee that the same level of attention will be devoted to Donkey or that people will still be interested in this franchise. If Shrek 5 doesn’t end up performing well, then the interest in a Donkey spin-off will be at an all-time low, and that’s when the decision to make this movie becomes a serious risk that might not pay off.

Donkey Might Struggle As A Character To Lead His Own Movie

He Typically Relies Upon Bouncing Off Shrek

Another potential problem that the Donkey spin-off might face is that the character has been portrayed as a comedic sidekick in all his appearances so far. While he does put Shrek in his place at times with some heartfelt moments and has also had a romantic storyline, Donkey’s main purpose is to provide laughs. That is difficult to convert into being a lead character for an entire movie, where more complex emotions need to be tapped into. The standard for animated movies has gone through the roof since Shrek was last around on the big screen, and that in itself presents a challenge for DreamWorks. Donkey normally relies upon being able to bounce off Shrek, with the two characters working as a great double act. However, the ogre isn’t likely going to be involved in the spin-off movie; otherwise, it would inevitably be about him. Whether fans still have the same love for Donkey all these years later will remain to be seen, which is why the timing of this spin-off film is slightly off in terms of providing it with the best chance of success.

A Donkey Spin-Off Will Ultimately Thrive At The Box Office, Regardless Of The Timing

The Animated Genre Is Thriving Right Now

Donkey arrives at Far Far Away in Shrek 2.

There is no denying that the Donkey spin-off is being released too late, as this would have been a sure-fire bet had it been released in the midst of Shrek’s initial dominance. However, DreamWorks will still remain confident that this will thrive at the box office simply because animated movies typically perform well. As long as the film itself isn’t a disaster, it should end up adding an impressive total to the impressive Shrek box office total. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish grossed $484 million worldwide on a production budget of $90-110 million, and given that Donkey is a bigger character, it should end up performing well.

The animated genre targets a family audience and people of all ages, ensuring that it casts its net as wide as possible. With so many potential customers, the opportunity for success instantly rises, regardless of the overall quality or interest heading into it. Families always want to sit down and watch a movie, whether it’s out of genuine interest or just to distract younger children for a few hours, and that’s something that the Donkey spin-off will guarantee. Whether it ends up being as entertaining as Shrek will remain to be seen, but there’s no doubt that it will target the same wide audience to gross as much money as possible, regardless of the timing.

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