Less than two months before the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is already in development. The announcement was made during a Viacom Investor Event by the President and CEO of Paramount Pictures & Nickelodeon, Brian Robbins.
The Sonic the Hedgehog film series is based on the fan-favorite video game franchise from Sega. The series follows the adventures of the world’s fastest blue hedgehog as he runs around saving the world from the evil Dr. Robotnik and other villains, and has spanned a number of video games, animated shows, and comic books. The 2020 movie, however, was the first attempt at a live-action adaptation of the franchise, and was by all accounts a huge success, making over $300 million at the box office and getting its sequel greenlit only months after its release.
The original film starred Ben Schwartz as the voice of the titular blue hedgehog, Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik, and James Marsden as Sonic’s human friend who helps him out in the film. The upcoming sequel is set to add two fan-favorite characters, with Colleen O'Shaughnessey as Sonic’s fox friend Miles "Tails" Prower and, to everyone’s surprise, Idris Elba as Knuckles the Echidna.
While not much more official news on the film has been given by Paramount, fans should be excited by how excited the people at Paramount seem about the film. The CEO of the Sega Corporation, Haruki Satomi, had this to say about the upcoming third film:
“We are delighted to announce that the third Sonic theatrical film and the first live action Sonic series for Paramount+ are being actively developed. We’ve got a remarkable partnership with Paramount, and we are excited to continue expanding the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise with them. 2022 is shaping up to be a significant year for the franchise with the second film being released this April, as well as Sonic Frontiers, the highly anticipated video game title, coming this holiday. Sonic has been beloved by fans across the world for over 30 years and we look forward to continuing to bring memorable moments and experiences to them for many years to come”
Additionally, Neal H. Moritz, a producer on the previous two films, added this in regard to what fans can expect of the third film:
“The world of Sonic the Hedgehog has been capturing imaginations for decades, and we are thrilled to stretch the limits of what this franchise is capable of with world-class offerings both on the big screen and for Sonic fans at home. The sky is truly the limit, and I am immensely proud to be part of creating new Sonic content for longtime fans as well as introducing Sonic to a new generation”
Stay with Collider for any future updates on Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Sonic 2 races into theaters on April 8.