The upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie has officially confirmed Keanu Reeves as the voice of Shadow the Hedgehog. Read on for more details about this exciting casting announcement and the new film.
Sonic 3 Confirms Keanu Reeves as Shadow
First Official Trailer Possibly Arriving Next Week
Hollywood icon Keanu Reeves will voice the iconic anti-hero, Shadow the Hedgehog, in the highly anticipated Sonic the Hedgehog 3. The announcement was made via a playful teaser on the Sonic movie's TikTok account. The video featured a "ForeSHADOWing" message, a shot of a young Keanu Reeves from Speed, and Sonic excitedly declaring, "Yes! Keanu, you are a national treasure!"
Rumors of Reeves' involvement circulated months ago. Shadow's introduction was subtly teased in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, depicting him cryogenically frozen. Known for his enigmatic nature and complex motivations, Shadow has often been both a rival and ally to Sonic, setting the stage for a potentially explosive confrontation in the new film. An official trailer, expected as early as next week, should offer a clearer look at their dynamic.
Ben Schwartz, Sonic's voice actor, expressed his excitement in a previous Screen Rant interview, stating, "I think fans are going to be excited and I think fans understand how much we care about them. We changed the film from the response to the first trailer, which I think was the very right move. I think fans will feel like they're being taken care of, I hope, because we always do it for them, and it hasn’t failed yet."
Returning alongside Keanu Reeves are Jim Carrey as Doctor "Eggman" Robotnik, Colleen O'Shaughnessey as Tails, and Idris Elba as Knuckles. Krysten Ritter also joins the cast in a currently undisclosed role.
The success of the Sonic film franchise has significantly impacted the broader Sonic brand. In a 2022 interview with VGC, Sonic Team's Takashi Iizuka acknowledged the challenge of balancing the expectations of dedicated fans and a wider audience, stating, "Because of the success of the movies, we’re finding that we’re reaching into this wider audience of people who maybe never played the game before, or don’t play them that much. It’s this wider group of fans who we need to start now making content for."
With Sonic the Hedgehog 3 set for release on December 20th, fans won't have long to wait before seeing Sonic, Shadow, and the rest of the cast in action.
