Illumination’s Chris Meledandri Excites Fans with Announcement of Upcoming Projects, Including ‘Shrek 5’ Featuring the Original Cast, a Donkey Spinoff Starring Eddie Murphy, and ‘Sing 3’, in an Exclusive Interview.
As Chris Meledandri readies to launch the much-anticipated Mario movie, he also responsibly manages a bevy of upcoming films and sequels in his flourishing animation domain. Illumination is preparing a series of films for the forthcoming months, including sequels to “Sing,” “Despicable Me” and “The Secret Life of Pets” as well as original movies such as “Migration,” which follows a family of ducks who doesn’t have to migrate thanks to milder winters. But first up is their highly anticipated adaptation of the classic Super Mario Bros game – set to dominate box office records when it opens on April 5th!
In addition to managing Illumination, Meledandri graced the cover of Variety this week when he discussed with Shigeru Miyamoto about creating “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” He also has lent his creative prowess to DreamWorks Animation as they seek to reinvent the beloved “Shrek” franchise. Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, and Eddie Murphy–the original voice cast of the beloved Shrek films–are all eager to come back together for “Shrek 5,” according to him.
“It’s not that dissimilar to the process that we went through with ‘Mario,’ where you look at what the core elements are that audiences have loved, and you do your very best to honor those core elements,” According to Meledandri. “And then you’re working hard to build story elements and new characters that take you to new places. The original cast is a huge part of that.”
Even though contracts were not finalized, he reported that the talks with the actors were progressing smoothly. “We anticipate the cast coming back. Talks are starting now, and every indication that we’ve gotten is tremendous enthusiasm on behalf of the actors to return,” He emphatically declared.
With the immense success of ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ – a spinoff sequel of ‘Shrek 2022’, Meledandri has every reason to be confident. Even Eddie Murphy, who voiced Donkey in the original movie series, declared his eagerness to reprise his role at an interview back in January; “If DreamWorks ever approached me with another Shrek project, I’d sign up right away!” I love Donkey. They did ‘Puss in Boots movies. I was like, ‘They should have done a Donkey movie.’ Donkey is funnier than Puss in Boots. I love Puss in Boots, but he ain’t funny as the Donkey.”
Meledandri was ecstatic when he read Murphy’s remarks, exclaiming, “It’s evidence of his strong enthusiasm for a role that he so brilliantly inhabited and created alongside the artists at DreamWorks. I found that comment to be fascinating.”
In response to whether Donkey could lead his movie, similar to Antonio Banderas’ feline franchises, Meledandri was certain: “Absolutely!”
In his interview with Variety, Meledandri shared tantalizing details about Illumination’s upcoming animated projects. He is searching for an inventive way to revisit the world of all types of domesticated animals – from dogs and cats to goldfish!
“We’re developing a couple of scripts in ‘The Secret Life of Pets’ world,” he said. “While we’re not ready yet to start a film, we’re continuing to develop in that franchise.”
Let us explore what a potential “Secret Life of Pets 3” might entail!
“One of the stories we’re developing involves one primary character from the first two films but introduces a new set of characters,” Meledandri added. “And then another story that we’re developing is the ensemble. So we’re looking at it from different angles.”
Meledandri is currently developing “Sing 3,” a sequel to his successful franchise that tells the story of animals competing in an epic talent competition. “It will involve characters from the original cast, but it will take us into a new world,” he said.
Although the film “Sing 2” was an immense success, grossing over $400 million at the box office, unfortunate timing meant that it was released in the wake of a rapidly-spreading omicron COVID variant, suppressing ticket sales. Yet, Meledandri insists the film was a remarkable success on streaming platforms. Its sequel ranked as the third most rushed movie in America during 2022 and acquired over 80 million views on Netflix alone!
“We don’t just look at the box office,” Meledandri is enthusiastic about the choice to produce other movies in the “Sing” franchise. “We gauge the audience response in different ways. The streaming success of ‘Sing 2’ signals that fans want to stay in this world with these characters.”
Audiences at “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” will be among the few lucky to have an exclusive sneak peek of Illumination’s upcoming film, written by Mike White – creator of “The White Lotus” – and directed by Benjamin Renner from Disney’s beloved movie, Ernest and Celestine. Only a little is known about this mysterious project titled ‘Migration,’ but curiosity abounds! In tandem with the launch of their Nintendo adventure, the studio will release a trailer for the upcoming film.
“It represents Illumination’s ongoing commitment to telling original stories, which I think is essential to culture,” Meledandri said.
In “Migration,” a family of ducks encounters an internal conflict. As the weather begins to warm, the father desires them to remain in their snug New England pond while his wife longs for exploration beyond its boundaries.
“The film is wonderful and has a painterly quality that is quite different from anything we’ve done at Illumination,” Meledandri said. “The story is told with humor and heart. It’s a remarkably human story with characters who are very relatable and end up wrestling with issues that we all understand, even though they are ducks. And their qualities as ducks are incredibly well executed, from the smallest detail on a feather to their movements and flight. So it’s a movie that transports you into this world up in the sky, but simultaneously, it’s very true to who we are.”
Meledandri isn’t just limiting himself to movies; he’s expanding into short-series streaming. Additionally, he has joined forces with Pierre Coffin—the writer and director behind the beloved “Despicable Me” films—to bring two new series exclusively to TikTok in May before it makes its way over to YouTube! While one story, “Who’s Who,” takes you on a journey to the mysterious world of Minions, the other tale, “Bones Story,” is unique.
“We like to follow the creativity of our team,” Meledandri said. “Pierre wants to do this, and it’s exciting to experiment in serialized storytelling.”
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