The Sonic The Hedgehog franchise has been a pleasant surprise for moviegoers of all ages. It's hard to believe that, after Sonic's terrible and slightly unnerving design in the first trailer for the original film caused outrage amongst fans, the sequel would become the highest-grossing videogame movie in U.S. history.
The future looks equally bright for the franchise, with a spin-off Knuckles series featuring the returning Idris Elba headed to Paramount Plus and Sonic The Hedgehog 3 already in development. And when it comes to the third film in the trilogy, there's a lot that fans would love to see from the blue blur and his new friends.
More Classic Sonic Quips
Some of the best moments in the first two films revolve around Ben Schwartz's Sonic using his powers to goof off, as anybody would if blessed with such incredible speed. From using his speed to create an instant bubble bath or fielding an entire baseball team by himself, Schwartz's incredible voice performance heightens these comedic moments and brings a wide-eyed wonder to many of the simpler things on earth.
With Tails and Knuckles now by his side, you'd expect Sonic to get up to even more mischief in the upcoming third installment, especially if chili dogs are involved.
The Introduction Of Shadow
The mid-credits scene in Sonic The Hedgehog 2 teases the introduction of a new Hedgehog that fans of the franchise will be all too familiar with. Shadow The Hedgehog, a flawlessly cool black hedgehog, was first introduced in 2001's Sonic Adventures 2. Shadow possesses the same super-speed as Sonic but lacks Sonic's unwavering moral compass, making it unclear if he will be an ally or a foe in the upcoming third film.
Either way, it will be great to finally see Sonic go toe-to-toe with another speedster, guaranteeing frantic fight scenes and crazy set-pieces.
More Eggman Madness
Will Jim Carrey's maniacal Dr. Robotnik return for Sonic's next big-screen outing? That's the question fans are desperate for the answer to. The mustachioed madman seemingly fell to his death after coming up against Super Sonic, but we never saw his body, leaving room for his return. While the character may well return, Carrey's participation in any upcoming project seems far less certain.
The actor recently revealed that he's considering retiring from acting, which would be a massive disappointment for Sonic fans and movie lovers all over the world. Hopefully, Carrey will postpone his retirement to return for one more outing as Sonic The Hedgehog's archenemy. If he does, please put him in a fat suit. We'd all love to see a game-accurate Dr. Eggman for the final entry in the trilogy.
More Blue Justice
One of the most enjoyable scenes of the highly successful sequel sees Sonic giving his best impression of a superhero and receiving negative feedback from the man he saves. Calling himself Blue Justice (trademark pending), Sonic stops an armored truck robbery and brings proceedings to a (somewhat) safe stop.
With Dr. Robotnik seemingly gone forever now, everybody's favorite hedgehog should have plenty of time on his hands to stop armed robberies and kidnappings and even rescue kittens from trees. While the world-ending stakes of the film are a blast, there's something wonderful about seeing an immensely powerful being stumble his way through encounters with low-level thugs and street criminals.
Less Human Drama
If one thing is clear when watching the overly long wedding scene in Sonic The Hedgehog 2, it's that the writers didn't know how to bring James Marsden's Tom and Tika Sumpter's Maddie into the story. The sequence takes far too long and slows the plot tremendously, forcing us to sit and watch petty squabbles rather than zany action and witty one-liners.
The blame doesn't lie with any of the actors, who are all well cast and talented; they simply didn't play enough of a role in the sequel's plot to justify their inclusion. Hopefully, the third film can integrate them into the plot more effectively, allowing them to be a part of the fun rather than a dull afterthought.
More Sonic Lore
The introduction of the Master Emerald, Chaos Gems, and Super Sonic delighted fans of the videogame franchise who thought the first film was light on beloved Sonic lore. With hints to Shadow and the promise of a more prominent role for G.U.N., we Sonic fans are bound to see more familiar faces in the third entry in the trilogy.
Though the Master Emerald is now under the protection of the united trio of Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, there will surely be enemies who wish to steal it from them. Perhaps Super Sonic will make a reappearance to save the day, or another character from the games or animated series might appear. If so, hopefully it's Metal Sonic
More Heart
The Sonic The Hedgehog franchise is made up of three things: high-speed action, Robotnik wackiness, and a healthy dosing of heart. Between the first film's healthy message about the power of friendship and the second's focus on the importance of thinking about others before you think about yourself, there's a lot for children to learn from these films.
It's safe to assume that the third film will promote an equally positive message, especially with Sonic now having surrounded himself with such a strong group of friends and family. The earnestness of the franchise also helps offset Dr. Robotnik's inherent evil tendencies, bringing a nice balance to the films.
More Giant Robot Fights
Let's be honest; we all loved watching Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails go head-to-head with the giant Robotnik robot in the third act of the blue blur's sequel. Dr. Robotnik's many inventions and robots have played an enormous part in the franchise so far, crafting several insane chase sequences and action scenes.
We're hoping to see more of Robotnik's creative genius in the third film as he tries to create a robot finally capable of stopping Sonic. This will be more difficult given that G.U.N. pulled his funding and ceased his assets, but we have a feeling that Robotnik will do his best work when his back's against the wall, and we can't wait to see what he comes up with next.