The blue hedgehog is coming back to the big screen: two years after the sequel "Sonic 2" grossed over 400 million dollars worldwide, the trio consisting of Sonic, Tales and Knuckles is returning. In "Sonic the Hedgehog 3", they will have to face a very special opponent that fans of the video games have been eagerly waiting for. In this Original, you can learn everything you need to know regarding the story, cast and production of "Sonic 3". Enjoy!

The Story

Metal Sonic

There was a lot of speculation among fans beforehand about possible storylines for the new movie. Several theories were already circulating the web shortly after the sequel was announced: for example, about an appearance by Metal Sonic, who was developed by Dr. Robotnik to transfer Sonic's powers into a robot. Metal Sonic is considered one of the blue hedgehog's toughest opponents and has a firm goal: namely to destroy his living equivalent. The concept of Super Sonic known from the games could also play a bigger role - after all, he already used the Chaos Emeralds at the end of part 2 to gain special powers.

Shadow the Hedgehog

However, the mid-credits scene of the previous movie reveals what the third adventure will most likely be about: in this scene, the new antagonist for part 3 is revealed, namely Shadow the Hedgehog. The character was first introduced in the video game "Sonic Adventure 2" and is seen as an anti-hero created by Dr. Robotnik's grandfather. The character originated from Project Shadow, which was carried out around 50 years before the events in "Sonic 2". It is a research program of the United Federation, which is based on today's United States and is the home country of the G.U.N. military organization.

The final product of this experiment are two creatures that are almost immortal: Biolizard and Shadow the Hedgehog. After the creation of Shadow, however, the project was scrapped due to its dangerous nature. Maria Robotnik was shot by a G.U.N. soldier while trying to free Shadow, which led to her grandfather becoming a villain who wanted to wipe out the world in revenge.

For the movie "Sonic the Hedgehog 3", this could mean that we will have to deal with Robotnik's grandfather and his granddaughter Maria, in flashbacks at least. Incidentally, Maria is one of the few people Shadow is not hostile towards. Shadow looks very much like Sonic and is considered one of his greatest rivals. Although he often exhibits an arrogant attitude, he is also one of the most profound characters in the Sonic universe, revealing his vulnerable nature only to a few.

Author Patrick Casey, who wrote the scripts for the first two films, described Shadow as a worthy opponent for Sonic. He is driven by anger and vengeance and is therefore not simply a misguided character like Knuckles once was. This could make it all the more difficult for Sonic to deter Shadow from pursuing his plans in part 3.

Rouge the Bat

With the introduction of Shadow, Rouge the Bat is also likely to make an appearance. She is a treasure hunter and spy for G.U.N. who often works together with Shadow. Knuckles in particular is often the target of her attention. She seems to enjoy arguing with him, but is also after his Master Emerald. She enjoys using her feminine charms and could make an exciting sidekick for the villain Shadow in "Sonic 3".

Amy Rose

In addition to the new foes, we could also see the appearance of Amy Rose. However, Amy is not the hero's enemy, but a bright and cheerful hedgehog girl who falls in love with Sonic. The first clues about her appearance in "Sonic 3" were given during a Q&A session with screenwriters Patrick Casey and Josh Miller. When asked whether Amy might appear in the third part, the two did not answer with a no. Instead, they gave a rather open clue that her appearance was in the works. It's understandable that the two couldn't reveal much just a few weeks after the release of "Sonic 2".

Her appearance would certainly be a good fit for the sequel, so that there is another ally for the hero besides the new antagonists. The dynamic between her and her crush Sonic should make for some funny moments. Even though she sometimes has quite a few mood swings and is totally obsessed with her great love, she would surely provide active support to the existing trio in the fight against Shadow and the others. Despite her often innocent nature, she is a powerful ally who can certainly match her friends. One of her favorite weapons is the Piko Piko Hammer, used by Amy for self-defense and which grows in size the angrier she gets.

The Cast

Ben Schwartz will once again be voicing the blue hedgehog. Idris Elba and Colleen O'Shaughnessey will also return in their roles as Knuckles and Tails. As for the humans, James Marsden will be back as Tom and Tika Sumpter as his wife Maddie, along with her lovely sister Rachel, played by Natasha Rothwell.

Will Jim Carrey be in Sonic 3?

What will happen to Dr. Robotnik, played by Jim Carrey, remains unclear. Carrey announced in an interview in 2022 that he intended to retire from acting after "Sonic 2" for good. Some people hope that he might take on the challenge of a third part after all, but their expectations are rather low. With Shadow as a new antagonist from the past, Dr. Robotnik himself could actually be omitted somewhat smartly. After all, Shadow's story is more related to the family of Jim Carrey's character. The 61-year-old actor may be tempted to make a small cameo - but it is unlikely that he will make a bigger appearance.

The two producers of the film series, Toby Asher and Neal Moritz, have already confirmed that they do not want to replace the character whatsoever. Not only would that be disrespectful towards Carrey, but it would also cause a huge shitstorm, which they wanted to avoid at all costs. We all remember the debacle of the first trailer for part 1, where the look of the main character was the cause of horror and a lot of ridicule online.

Since "Sonic 3" is supposed to focus more on the CGI characters according to the producers, the human parts will presumably play a rather minor function anyway: another factor that speaks against a return of Dr. Robotnik.

Filming Despite the Strikes

Filming on "Sonic 3" has been well underway since September 2023. In contrast to many other productions, work on the movie continued even during the actors' strike in Hollywood: The crew simply shot the scenes in which CGI characters in particular will make an appearance first - without the participation of the real actors. The filming location in London proved to be extremely beneficial, as there are no picketing guidelines in the UK that would have prevented production without the actors. As the strike has now ended, filming can now continue with the actors without any interruptions.

When Will Sonic 3 Be Released?

"Sonic the Hedgehog 3" will be released in theaters on December 20, 2024. Unlike the previous installments, the new hedgehog adventure is therefore not coming in spring, but during the Christmas period. The first "Sonic 3" trailer will thus likely be a while in coming. In the meantime, though, there is another Sonic production that fans can look forward to.

The Sonic Series Knuckles and the Sonic Cinematic Universe

Besides "Sonic 3", the spin-off series "Knuckles" is awaiting us next year, for which Idris Elba will reprise the role of the titular character. It will be available for streaming on Paramount+, but an exact release date hasn't been set. It comes as no surprise that the popular character is getting his own spin-off: after all, Knuckles has already featured in as many as 101 video games.

The popularity of the Sonic character also seems undiminished: Even before the 2020 and 2022 movies, there were an impressive 396 Sonic games and 5 animated series already. According to producer Toby Asher, should the two new projects prove to be successful, an entire Sonic Cinematic Universe is under consideration, with further movies and series to follow. In an interview with ComicBook.com, director Jeff Fowler also expressed his wish to direct a Super Smash Bros. movie in which the most famous characters in video game history would compete against each other. Well, that would be exciting!