Sonic the Hedgehog 3: Keanu Reeves Joins the Cast as Shadow

Get ready, Sonic fans! The blue blur is racing back to the big screen, and he's bringing some serious star power with him. Paramount Pictures is gearing up for another fast-paced adventure with "Sonic the Hedgehog 3," and the first trailer has just dropped, introducing us to Sonic's mysterious rival, Shadow.

From Video Game to Box Office Hit

Remember when Sonic first zoomed onto our game consoles? Well, he's been just as speedy in conquering Hollywood. The first "Sonic the Hedgehog" movie hit theaters in 2020, mixing cool animation with live-action scenes. It was like watching your favorite video game come to life!

Director Jeff Fowler, in his first big movie gig, brought together a awesome cast. Ben Schwartz gave Sonic his sassy voice, while James Marsden, Jim Carrey, and Natasha Rothwell added to the fun. The movie was a huge success, raking in $302 million worldwide. That's a lot of gold rings!

Sonic's Growing Universe

The second Sonic movie did even better, earning a whopping $405 million. Talk about leveling up! This success got everyone excited, and now we're not just getting a third movie, but a TV show too. Fans of Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) will be thrilled to know he's getting his own series.

Keanu Reeves Joins the Sonic Squad

Here's the big news: Keanu Reeves is joining the cast of "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" as Shadow! You might know Keanu from "The Matrix" or "John Wick," where he plays super cool characters. Now, he's bringing his talents to the world of Sonic.

Shadow first appeared in the "Sonic Adventure 2" video game back in 2001. He's like Sonic's dark twin – just as fast, but way moodier. In the movie world, it looks like the crafty Dr. Robotnik (played by Jim Carrey) had something to do with creating Shadow. Now, he's hoping Shadow will help him finally beat Sonic.

What to Expect in Sonic 3

The new trailer gives us a sneak peek at Shadow's story. A mysterious voice tells us, "Shadow's story began just like yours, Sonic. But while you found family and friends, Shadow only found pain and loss." Sounds pretty intense, right?

Jeff Fowler is back in the director's chair for the third time. We'll see familiar faces like James Marsden as Sonic's human buddy Tom, and Jim Carrey returning as the egg-cellent villain Dr. Robotnik. Idris Elba is voicing Knuckles again, and Colleen O'Shaughnessy is back as Tails.

Some new faces are joining the fun too. Krysten Ritter will play Captain Rockwell, and Tom Butler is taking on the role of Commander Walters.

"Sonic the Hedgehog 3" finished filming in March, and now it's racing towards its release date. Circle December 20, 2024, on your calendars, because that's when Sonic, Shadow, and the whole gang will be speeding into theaters near you!