Fans of Sonic can rejoice, as Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is coming to theaters on December 20, 2024. The third installment was announced in early August 2022, along with a spin-off for Knuckles, which will be coming sometime in 2023.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3, a sequel to Sonic the Hedgehog 2, will be an action-adventure comedy film based on the Sega movie series. Fans will have to wait until December 2024 to watch Sonic's adventures on the big screen, which is longer than normal.
The Sonic series has produced some of the most iconic video game characters of all time, with the series' namesake Blue Hedgehog even drawing comparisons to other famous characters.
The release of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is scheduled for around the Christmas holidays
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has been in the works for quite some time, with the initial announcement for the anime adaptation made in August 2022.
As previously stated, the third part of the Sonic series will be released on December 20, 2024. This makes it a Christmas release as opposed to the two previous movies being released in February 2020 and April 2022, respectively. As the movie will be released on December 20, it will go head-to-head against James Cameron's Avatar.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will be directed by Jeff Fowler and produced by Paramount and SEGA. Jeff also directed the previous two Sonic films. As with previous films, visual effects work will need to be done before filming can begin on the sequel, so it is likely that production will begin this year.
Since Sonic the Hedgehog 3 hasn't started filming, there isn't a trailer for fans to look at. Considering the release date of December 2024, the first trailer for the film is unlikely to arrive before the beginning of 2024.
The third part of the series will debut in cinemas first, much like the other two films in the series. Similar to its predecessor, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is anticipated to be available for download and streaming on Paramount Plus.
The movie may even be added to EPIX's collection, as it was with Sonic the Hedgehog 2 when Paramount signed a pay-one-window agreement with the platform. The film will be released in the same formats as before including DVD, Blu-ray, and Ultra HD Blu-ray.
What can we expect from Sonic the Hedgehog 3?
While the third movie's narrative hasn't been officially announced, it will undoubtedly continue where the credit sequence left off. The idea of Super Sonic from the video game, who has the power of the Chaos Emeralds, appeared towards the end of the movie.
The film's climax teamed Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles together, suggesting that they might embark on an adventure together right away. Shadow the Hedgehog, one of the most well-known video game characters was also in the credits for Sonic the Hedgehog 2. He will definitely be back to bother Sonic in the upcoming movie.
Despite being a fan of the film, director Fowler did not reveal any plot insights. However, he seemed to be pretty excited about the upcoming movie and said:
"I'm hesitant to go into too much detail, only because it's obviously still very early. I will say that we are teasing a character that I'm incredibly excited about."
Who will be the Cast in Sonic the Hedgehog 3?
Although no official announcements have been made about the cast of Sonic the Hedgehog 3, several of the series regulars are expected to return.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will see Ben Schwartz reprise his role as Sonic, while Colleen O'Shaughnessey and Idris Elba will likely reprise their roles as Tails and Knuckles, respectively. The three have all been in previous sequels to the same role. Schwartz has also appeared as Mark in DC League of Super-Pets and as Leonardo in Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie.
Colleen's credits include Ino in Naruto (dubbed), Jazz Fenton in Danny Phantom, and a slew of others. Idris Elba is well recognized for his role as Chief Bogo in Zootopia.
Unfortunately, Jim Carrey announced his retirement from acting in April 2022. However, producers Moritz and Ascher clarified that his character as Dr. Robotnik would not be replaced in any sequels.
They continue to hold out hope that they will be able to create a compelling enough tale to allow him to recast the part if he follows through on his retirement intentions.
Other cast members to include in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 are Adam Pally, as Green Hills' Deputy Sheriff Wade Whipple, and Natasha Rothwell, as Maddie's sister Rachel. They are both expected to return. While this is going on, Agent Stone, Robotnik's assistant, might or might not show up.
It will be interesting to see how Sonic the Hedgehog 3 performs when it debuts. Until then, fans can read manga or watch previous Sonic movies to catch up with the event before the movie arrives. Stay tuned for more anime and manga updates as 2023 progresses.