Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s post-credits scene made it abundantly clear that fan-favourite Sonic character Shadow – first introduced in 2001’s Sonic Adventure 2 – would have a major role to play in the next instalment of Paramount Pictures and Sega’s film franchise. Speculation and rumours about who the Ultimate Lifeform would be played by have been rampant since then, and it seems we now have concrete details on that front.
As per a report published by The Hollywood Reporter, The Matrix and John Wick star Keanu Reeves is voicing Shadow in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. The product of a secret government program called Project Shadow and the brainchild of the franchise’s archvillain Dr. Robotnik (played by Jim Carrey), Shadow’s portrayal in the film will take cues from the aforementioned Sonic Adventure 2 and 2005’s Shadow the Hedgehog, as previously confirmed.
Shadow also have Sonic X Shadow Generations to look forward to later this year, an expanded remaster of the acclaimed 2011 platformer that will feature a new, standalone campaign featuring the infamous Black Blur.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which recently wrapped filming, will release worldwide on December 20. It will be preceded by Knuckles, a six-episode limited series premiering later this month, on April 26, on Paramount+. It sees Edris Elba reprising his role as the titular protagonist.