Summary
- A viral video from two years ago predicted the casting of Keanu Reeves as Shadow in
Sonic the Hedgehog 3. - The Sonic franchise continues to grow with its third outing adding the
John Wick
star to its cast. - Knuckles will return this month in his own spin-off series, which will also feature Sonic regulars.
Keanu Reeves has been cast as Shadow the Hedgehog in Paramount’s upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3. The casting came as a welcome surprise to many when it was announced, but probably not to one fan who predicted the news two years before it happened.
Shared by user @SonicpoX on X (formerly Twitter) in 2022, the video takes audio from Keanu Reeves’ performance in John Wick and imposes an animated Shadow the Hedgehog on Reeves. The brief animation was used to predict how Reeves would look as Shadow, a fan-casting which had swirled around the internet since the first Sonic the Hedgehog debuted in 2020.
The video blew up once when it was posted in 2022, but has seen a second surge in popularity thanks to Monday’s reveal. New comments on the post are calling @SonicpoX a psychic, with one asking “How tell me how you did it” and another simply proclaiming “HE KNEW.” In a recent tweet, @SonicpoX declared his victory, simply stating “Called it.”
Keanu Reeves joins the phenomenal cast, which includes Ben Schwartz, Jim Carrey, Colleen O’Shaughnessy, James Marsden, Idris Elba, and Cristo Fernández.
The Sonic Franchise Continues to Grow
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is the third installment of the Sonic movies.
- Studio
- Paramount Pictures
When the very first trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog was released back in 2020, no one would have imagined it would spawn a successful franchise for Paramount Pictures. The film, released before the likes of The Last of Us and Fallout, broke the video game curse, but the first trailer featured a horrifyingly ‘realistic’ version of Sonic that threatended to derail the whole franchise before it started. However, director Jeff Fowler said in a Tweet at the time, “Thank you for the support. And the criticism. The message is loud and clear… you aren’t happy with the design & you want changes. It’s going to happen.” Even though it added more expense to the movie’s budget, the change was a necessity for the film to have any chance of succeeding.
The design was subsequently changed, and Sonic the Hedgehog, equipped with a game-accurate appearance, was a major hit for Paramount Pictures – grossing $319 million worldwide. A sequel was quickly greenlit and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 hit theaters in 2022. As well as continuing Sonic’s story, the film introduced audiences to the first live-action version of Tails (voiced by Colleen O’Shaughnessey) and Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba). Sonic the Hedgehog 2 grossed $405 million worldwide, and was the highest-grossing video game adaptation in the United States until it was dethroned by The Super Mario Bros. Movie last year. The franchise’s combined gross stands at $707 million, and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is expected to be another box office hit, potentially pushing the franchise past the $1 billion mark.
Jim Carrey’s Game Accurate Robotnik Confirmed for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 in CinemaCon Footage Description
Jim Carrey will be back for a third round of Sonic the Hedgehog action, as CinemaCon footage reveals his latest Eggman form.
Knuckles’ debut was so popular, the character was quickly given his own spin-off series, aptly titled Knuckles. The series is right around the corner, with the first episode airing on Paramount+ on April 26. Alongside Idris Elba, Knuckles also stars Adam Pally, Kid Cudi, Rory McCann, Ellie Taylor, Cary Elwes, and Christopher Lloyd. Ben Schwartz and Colleen O’Shaughnessey are also reprising their respective roles as Sonic and Tails in the series.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
is currently slated to hit theaters on December 20.
