Paramount Pictures is going all in on Sonic, revealing plans to launch a Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie in addition to a live-action Paramount+ Knuckles spinoff series that has Idris Elba set to reprise his role. The Knuckles project is set to arrive in 2023, though there’s no word on a release window for Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
“We are delighted to announce that the third Sonic theatrical film and the first live-action Sonic series for Paramount+ are being actively developed,” said Sega CEO Haruki Satomi. “We’ve got a remarkable partnership with Paramount, and we are excited to continue expanding the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise with them. 2022 is shaping up to be a significant year for the franchise with the second film being released this April, as well as Sonic Frontiers, the highly anticipated video game title, coming this holiday. Sonic has been beloved by fans across the world for over 30 years and we look forward to continuing to bring memorable moments and experiences to them for many years to come.”
Producer Neal Moritz added that the movie-making teams are excited to push Sonic the Hedgehog onto new platforms. In other words, if the Knuckles series and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 turn out as well as the first movie, you shouldn’t expect Sonic to leave movie and TV screens any time soon.
“For more than three decades, Sonic the Hedgehog’s universe of vibrant, unique characters has generated one of the most passionate fanbases,” Paramount president and CEO Brian Robbins said. “We look forward to continuing our collaboration with SEGA, Neal Moritz, and all our creative partners as we explore additive ways to holistically scale the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise across platforms and captivate its loyal audience around the world.”
News of the continued collaboration with Sega comes a couple months before Sonic the Hedgehog 2 even hits theaters. The film is set to continue Ben Schwartz’s take on the Blue Blur while serving as a proper introduction for Elba’s punchy red echidna. Jim Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik is back too, but there is no word if he’ll be back for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 or the Knuckles spinoff show. A Super Bowl commercial for Sonic the Hedgehog 2 gave us a better look at the sequel’s new sense of scale, including more from Sega’s iconic anthropomorphic trio.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 hits theaters April 8, and it should shed more light on what to expect from the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie and the Paramount+ live-action Knuckles series.
