Sonic the Hedgehog 3 poster teases Maria and Shadow: The duo's relationship from the games explored

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a film that's been highly anticipated among fans. With the uptick that live-action adaptations of videogames have received in the last few years, the Sonic films continue to charm fans in many ways. In the third outing, fans will be introduced to two major characters from the games: Shadow the Hedgehog and his trusted friend Maria.

A recent poster released for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 teases the relationship between Shadow and Maria in the film. The poster sees Shadow in his cryogenic tube while Maria reaches out to him with her hand. In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Shadow will be voiced by actor Keanu Reeves, while actress Alyla Browne will portray Maria.

Warning: Potential spoilers for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will be explored in this article. Readers' discretion is advised.

In the games, Maria and Shadow have a very close friendship with one another. The entire reason Shadow was created was so that Maria, the granddaughter of Gerald Robotnik, could be cured. However, her death unfortunately scars Shadow in a huge way.

---

Shadow was created so that Maria could be cured

In the Sonic the Hedgehog games, Mari was born with a disease called NIDS, Neuro-Immuno Deficiency Syndrome. This caused her grandfather Gerald Robotnik to get her aboard the space station ARK so that he could develop a cure for her. Maria is also the cousin of Sonic's arch nemesis Eggman. Maria and Robotnik then formed a close relationship over the years as both cared for each other.

Gerald ultimately created Shadow the Hedgehog then to study immortality. He decided to use the research that he had learned over there to cure his granddaughter Maria of her disease. When Maria met Shadow, she was excited to gain a new friend, and the two also became close. Living in space, they bonded over their admiration of Earth.

However, when the President of the United Federation sent his military to shut down Robotnik's research, Gerald explained to Shadow how he could defeat the Black Arms, the same alien race that helped create him, as they were set to dominate Earth. Maria then promised Robotnik that she and Shadow would save Earth.

Unfortunately, during the raid, Maria was shot by a soldier. This sent Shadow and Robotnik into a huge state of despair as she meant everything to them. With Sonic the Hedgehog 3 set to introduce all three characters, fans can expect this story to come to life.

---

What is Sonic the Hedgehog 3 about?

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is an upcoming film directed by Jeff Fowler. The official synopsis for the film reads as follows:

"Sonic the Hedgehog returns to the big screen this holiday season in his most thrilling adventure yet. Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails reunite against a powerful new adversary, Shadow, a mysterious villain with powers unlike anything they have faced before."

It continues:

"With their abilities outmatched in every way, Team Sonic must seek out an unlikely alliance in hopes of stopping Shadow and protecting the planet."

The film stars Ben Schwartz as the titular character, and he will be joined by Collen O'Shaughnessyas Miles "Tails" Prower and Idris Elsba as Knuckles the Echidna. Thefilm also stars Jim Carrey as Ivo Robotnik and Gerald Robotnik. The film will be released in theatres on December 20, 2024.

---