How Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Pulls From Iconic 2001 Game Teased By Ben Schwartz

With some of the marketing already teasing ties to the game, Ben Schwartz teases how Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is pulling from Sonic Adventure 2. Plot details are currently unknown for the threequel, though it’s expected to again see Schwartz’s titular blue speedster team up with Idris Elba’s Knuckles and Colleen O’Shaughnessey’s Tails to face off against Jim Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik and Keanu Reeves’ Shadow the Hedgehog. After facing delays due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, production on the movie wrapped in March 2024, in time for a December 20 release.

During a recent interview with Screen Rant, Schwartz was asked about which games would be an influence on Sonic the Hedgehog 3‘s story. Though remaining mum on specifics, the star confirmed that Sonic Adventure 2 will be a big source for the movie’s characters and plot, even noting the parallels between the iconic 2001 game’s logo with the movie’s and hyping that the creative team are “swinging for the fences” with the threequel. Check out what Schwartz shared below:

I’m not going to give you specifics, but I will say the movie’s definitely influenced by, at the very least, that game. You can also see it even in the logo, you kind of already see that, or the music that was playing during aspects of that logo reveal. So, there’s definitely influences from Sonic Adventure 2, as well as other games. I can’t tell you how excited I am about everything. Jim Carey is going to be extraordinary, Jeff Fowler has brought it times 1000 directing it. I can’t confirm or deny who Shadow is, who knows who Shadow is going to be, but from what I’ve heard and gathered, he’s awesome, and it’s going to be great. It’s going to be great.

I’m so excited with this movie. I finished all my lines, but what I basically do is I do the script first, then they film. Now, they’re going to bring me back all the footage, and we play with the lines, we improvise, we do it. The good thing about having a voice actor or an animated character be the lead, or one of the leads, of the movie is that whenever we need to edit scenes or something, that we can just keep recording my voice and have me say different things over and over again, that part doesn’t cost money. It’s animating my mouth that costs money, so we’re going to tinker and make this the best thing we can do and make it the funniest thing and make it just the coolest movie. It is enormous, this film is enormous. Toby, Neil, and Jeff, man. You’re going to be blown away. This one is swinging for the fences. It’s a really special film.

Which Sonic Adventure 2 Elements Could Appear In Sonic 3?

Following the tease of Shadow’s introduction in Sonic the Hedgehog 2‘s ending, writers Pat Casey and Josh Miller had teased that Sonic Adventure 2 would be a key influence for the third movie, which is understandable considering it marked the debut of the brooding hedgehog into the games. The duo had also expressed their hopes to incorporate elements of the character’s solo game, 2005’s Shadow the Hedgehog, though this was met with some division considering the poor reviews of the title.

With the movie pulling a lot of influence from the 2001 game, there are a number of potential elements for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 to pull from Sonic Adventure 2. One of the biggest is the introduction of Robotnik’s younger cousin Maria, who was a close friend to Shadow before he lost his memory and was corrupted by the mad scientist in his quest to acquire the Master Emerald’s power. The new movie has even already cast this character in the form of Alyla Browne, who will next be seen in the upcoming Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga as a younger version of the titular character.

Another major element that’s only been slowly introduced with the Knuckles TV show is the past of the Echidna tribe, whose ties to the Master Emerald gave Knuckles and Sonic the knowledge they needed to defeat Eggman in the first Sonic Adventure. With Amy Rose and Big the Cat also playing major roles in Sonic Adventure 2 and yet to be introduced in the movie franchise, there are a number of ways Sonic the Hedgehog 3 can continue to bridge the gap between the movies and the games by pulling from the beloved 2001 title.

The first two Sonic the Hedgehog movies and Knuckles are available to stream on Paramount+.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is the sequel to the 2022 comedy-adventure movie that featured the Blue Blur and his companions on an adventure to stop Dr. Robotnik from taking over the world. The new film sees the new antagonist Shadow the Hedgehog, arriving to cause trouble for the newly formed trio of heroes, Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, as they adjust to their earthly lives.

Director

Jeff Fowler

Release Date

December 20, 2024

Studio(s)

Sega Sammy Group , Original Film , Marza Animation Planet , Blur Studio

Distributor(s)

Paramount Pictures

Writers

Pat Casey , Josh Miller , John Whittington