Chris Rock revealed that DreamWorks approached him at least twice to replace Eddie Murphy as the voice of Donkey in the Shrek franchise, a deal that would have netted Rock approximately $30 million if it had gone through. Rock made the disclosure during a live taping of the Fly on the Wall podcast with fellow SNL alums Dana Carvey and David Spade at the Netflix Is a Joke comedy festival in May 2026.
According to Rock’s account, Murphy’s reluctance to record his voice lines created the opportunity. Despite having a recording studio in his own home, Rock explained that Murphy would make DreamWorks “wait for months at a time” to record Donkey’s dialogue. “Eddie has the studio in his house—like the recording studio in his house—so all he has to do is go downstairs to do ‘Donkey’,” Rock said, chuckling at the irony.
The studio’s frustration with Murphy’s delays led them to negotiate replacement deals with Rock on multiple occasions. “At least twice,” Rock said, DreamWorks “negotiated deals with me to play Donkey.” However, each time the studio approached Rock, Murphy eventually followed through on his obligations, rendering Rock’s potential contract moot. “And then Eddie just went downstairs,” Rock joked. “And I’m out of $30 million, just because Eddie went downstairs.”
Rock’s revelation sheds light on the behind-the-scenes dynamics of one of Hollywood’s most lucrative animated franchises. Shrek became the highest-grossing franchise in Murphy’s extensive filmography, netting DreamWorks more than $4 billion across all four films released to date. Murphy himself has acknowledged the physical toll of voicing Donkey, describing the character as exhausting to perform. In a 2024 interview, Murphy explained that Donkey’s constant high energy leaves him with a headache after recording sessions. “Donkey is on 10,” he said. “Lots of times I’ll hear the movie, and I’ll be like, ‘Wow, I don’t even remember saying that.'”
Despite the challenges, Murphy has remained committed to the franchise and expressed enthusiasm for its future. He confirmed in 2024 that he had already begun voice recording for Shrek 5 and revealed that DreamWorks is developing a Donkey spin-off film, following the success of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Murphy has previously stated he would return for a fifth Shrek film “in two seconds,” underscoring his affection for the character that has defined much of his career in animation.
Sources
- The Daily Beast — Chris Rock’s revelation at Netflix Is a Joke Fest, Murphy’s recording delays, the $30 million deal, and Shrek franchise earnings
- Entertainment Tonight — Confirmation of Rock’s claims about DreamWorks approaching him twice to replace Murphy
