It’s almost time for Shadow to race to his live-action debut in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, but the jet-black speedster isn’t the only one that fans should focus their attention on. Director Jeff Fowler has hinted at the appearance of another franchise character at the end of the threequel, setting things up for a potential follow-up.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the filmmaker confirmed that the movie will be “no different in terms of teasing new characters”, offering some kind of clue as to where the series can go – even as a fourth entry remains up in the air.
“It’s fun to see the fan debates online about who’s coming up next, who’s going to be teased at the end of the film. We have a lot of the same conversations,” said Fowler. “We’ve all got our favorites on the filmmaking side, and we’re all making great cases for ‘it should be this one or that one.’ It is fun to keep that anticipation. This movie is no different in terms of teasing new characters.”
The tradition of post-credit character reveals can be traced back to the first Sonic the Hedgehog movie, where Tails was introduced at the end. Shadow was the special surprise for the 2022 sequel, with John Wick star Keanu Reeves voicing the fan-favourite in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. In the upcoming feature, Sonic and his friends will join forces with former enemy Dr. Robotnik and face off against Shadow, whose relationship with Maria has been given “a lot of care and love”. Chao, a franchise mainstay, is also expected to make their debut.
“I think we really ended in a great place. I think fans will watch this film and really appreciate Shadow and Maria. A lot of care and a lot of love has gone into telling Shadow’s story and giving fans the best movie version of the character imaginable,” Fowler shared.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 races into theatres on 20 December. Ben Schwartz is reprising his role as the titular speedster, joining Idris Elba (Knuckles) and Colleen O’Shaunghnessey (Tails) in the returning cast. James Marsden and Tika Sumpter will continue to portray Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles’ adopted parents, with Krysten Ritter, Sofia Pernas, Cristo Fernández, James Wolk, and Jorma Taccone cast in undisclosed roles.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
