Video game movies have gotten a lot better in recent years, especially when compared to the misguided and notoriously awful attempts in the 1990s and early 2000s. One of the biggest contributors to this massive sea change has been the popular Sonic the Hedgehog movie franchise that started in 2020 with a video game adaptation that was a surprise both in terms of quality and financial success, and was followed up by a sequel with equally impressive box office and critical response in 2022. With the way Sonic the Hedgehog 2 ended, it was almost a given that this wasn’t the last we’d see of the iconic blue blur.
In not all that much time, longtime fans of the intellectual property (both the movies and the games on which they are based) will return to their local theater to see the next addition to the franchise: Sonic the Hedgehog 3. But, while we wait to see what’s next for Sega’s longtime mascot, let’s dive into everything we know about the upcoming video game movie.
What Is The Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Release Date?
There really isn’t that much time to wait for Sonic the Hedgehog 3, as the upcoming threequel is slated to open in theaters on December 20th, meaning we’re going to have a blue (blur) Christmas.
In August 2022, the official Sonic the Hedgehog movie Twitter account shared a gif of the blue blur, sidekick Tails, and enemy-turned-friend Knuckles, along with a caption revealing the release date. This will put Sonic and company up against the upcoming Disney movie, Barry Jenkins’ long-awaited Mufasa: The Lion King, the only other film slated for release that weekend.
The Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Plot Hasn’t Been Revealed But Shadow The Hedgehog Will Be Involved
The first Sonic the Hedgehog movie, which some consider the best video game movie ever made, and its 2022 sequel both had tremendous stories filled with heart, humor, and so much action it felt like you were playing an old Sega Genesis game. And while we don’t yet know what’s going to go down in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, there are plenty of reasons to get excited about the upcoming movie.
Number one on that list? Oh, just a character named Shadow the Hedgehog, the same mysterious figure teased during the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 post-credits sequence. We don’t yet know how he’s involved, but the fan-favorite villainous character will play a part in the movie’s action.
Ben Schwartz And Jim Carrey Once Again Lead The Voice Cast
Ben Schwartz, Jim Carrey, and the rest of the cast (both live-action and animated) are what made the first two Sonic the Hedgehog movies so much fun. Most of them will be back for another round of action along with some new faces to the franchise.
Ben Schwartz (Sonic The Hedgehog)
No surprise here, but Ben Schwartz will be back again as Sonic the Hedgehog in the blue blur’s third theatrical release. Schwartz’s return, as well as many other castings, was confirmed by IGN. Over the years, the Parks and Recreation alum has appeared in movies like Star Wars: The Force Awakens (he was BB-8) and most recently Renfield.
Jim Carrey (Dr. Robotnik)
Though he planned on retiring from acting in 2022, Jim Carrey will be coming back to the franchise when he plays the villainous Dr. Robotnik once again. In February 2024, Variety reported that the legendary actor and comedian would be donning the massive mustache this December.
Idris Elba (Knuckles The Echidna)
Idris Elba instantly became a franchise star when Knuckles the Echnida was introduced in the second Sonic movie, and the actor will be voicing the overly serious character once again in the upcoming threequel.
Colleen O’Shaughnessey (Miles ‘Tails’ Prower)
Prolific voice actor Colleen O’Shaughnessey has voiced Miles “Tails” Prower ever since the Sonic the Hedgehog post-credits sequence back in 2020, and she’ll be back for another round of action as Sonic’s best friend and biggest fan.
James Marsden (Tom Wachowski)
James Marsden will be returning for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and will once again be playing the blue blur’s friend and father figure, Tom Wachowski.
Tika Sumpter (Maddie Wachowski)
Tika Sumpter, who’s also set to appear in the upcoming Knuckles series, will be portraying Maddie Wachowski again when Sonic the Hedgehog 3 premieres this winter.
Lee Majdoub (Agent Stone)
Lee Majdoub’s Agent Stone was oddly one of the funniest characters in the first two Sonic movies, and it looks like we haven’t seen the end of the henchman-turned-barista, as he’ll be back with the rest of the pack.
Tom Butler (Commander Walters)
Tom Butler’s Commander Walters, the leader of Guardian Units of Nations (G.U.N.), who was last seen discussing the Shadow project, will continue his work in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
Krysten Ritter
Though there have been rumors about her character’s identity, as of the time of this writing, Krysten Ritter’s role in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has not yet been officially confirmed. But that should change in time for the Jessica Jones actress.
Cristo Fernández
Ted Lasso alum Cristo Fernández has been in a little bit of everything as of late, and that will soon include Sonic the Hedgehog 3. However, it’s not yet known who he’ll be playing.
The Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Reveal Video Teases A Menacing Character
Though it wasn’t a full trailer, or even a proper teaser, Paramount Pictures did give fans a Sonic the Hedgehog 3 reveal video in February 2024. Again, it wasn’t much, and the 20-second video pretty much amounted to an animated logo and release date (which was already announced), but it did end on an interesting note.
That mysterious laugh at the end of the reveal video got the rumor mills spinning just minutes after its release, with folks online claiming it belonged to Hayden Christensen who many believe is voicing the character. However, no one has officially confirmed who is playing Shadow the Hedgehog at this point, but expect to find out soon.
The Creative Team Behind The First Two Movies Returns For Sonic The Hedgehog 3
If you were a fan of the first two movies in the franchise then you’ll be glad to hear that the creative team responsible for those video game movies is remaining intact for Sonic the Hedgehog 3. According to Deadline, director Jeff Fowler and screenwriters Pat Casey and Josh Miller all returned to keep the fun going for at least one more movie, though we hope this isn’t the end of the run for the team.
Ben Schwartz Has Used Words Like ‘Crazy’ And ‘Bananas’ To Describe Sonic The Hedgehog 3
The powers that be that are involved with Sonic the Hedgehog 3 have been quite mum about the specifics of the movie since it was first revealed to be in development back in February 2022, but one of the franchise’s stars has offered some insight as to what we might expect to see. When appearing on the Playlist podcast shortly after the release of the second entry in the series, Sonic voice-actor Ben Schwartz had this to say about the upcoming movie:
It seems like every movie we add CG and more characters and we add more stuff for fans of the video games to enjoy. [Sonic the Hedgehog] 2 we blew it out so much that [Sonic the Hedgehog] 3 it’s going to be bananas. It’s going to be crazy. I can’t wait.
Again, Schwartz didn’t reveal why he thinks the movie will be “bananas,” but with all the craziness that went down in the first two films audiences surely won’t be let down.
Screenwriters Would Like To Incorporate The Sonic Adventure 2 Game Into The Movie
One of the biggest reveals at the end of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was the introduction of Shadow the Hedgehog in the end credits sequence. Longtime fans of the video game franchise should be all too familiar with the genetically engineered mammal who first appeared as the villain in the Sega Dreamcast title, Sonic Adventure 2.
And, with the character appearing to be a major part of the movie franchise moving forward, screenwriters Pat Casey and Josh Miller want to pull from the game with Sonic the Hedgehog 3, as Miller revealed during a panel at the KCC Comic Con in May 2022:
I don’t think it’s revealing anything to say we would love to incorporate elements from Sonic Adventure 2 and Shadow the Hedgehog - his solo spinoff game.
Miller admitted he had to be careful about his comments being misconstrued as official plot lines for the movie, but pulling from the Sega platformers is very much something he wants to do.
The Knuckles Paramount+ Series Starring Idris Elba Will Precede Sonic 3
This last tidbit of information has less to do with Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and more to do with the franchise as a whole. When the third film entry in the franchise was announced back in February 2022, Paramount Pictures also revealed Idris Elba’s Knuckles will be getting his own spinoff series on Paramount+ before the next film installment.
The Knuckles TV show, which is set to premiere on April 26th, with all six episodes being available for Paramount+ subscribers on the day of its release, will follow the titular Echnida warrior as he trains Adam Pally’s Wade Whipple how to handle himself in a fight. Other franchise characters like Sonic and Tails are also set to appear, which could mean the show leads right into Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
This wraps up everything we know about Sonic the Hedgehog 3, but expect to learn more about the movie in the coming weeks and months. In the meantime, check out our rundown of all the 2024 movie releases coming to a big screen near you.
