Sonic The Hedgehog
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Source: Paramount Pictures / SEGA / Sonic The Hedgehog 3
SEGA might have the greatest video game movie franchise ever thanks to the company’s iconic speedy mascot, Sonic The Hedgehog. The third installment in the franchise, Sonic The Hedgehog 3, keeps the same energy as the first two films and, based on the critical reception, is the best one yet.
Like the Sonic The Hedgehog video game franchise, the movies follow the same trajectory, each being a level-up from the next.
While Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s domestic box office opening was slightly under Sonic 2’s $72.1 million, it raced to an impressive $70.5 million.
But where Sonic 3 trumps its predecessor is in its critical reception, currently sitting at 86% on Rotten Tomatoes with a 98% audience score, making it the highest-rated movie out of the three. Hence, everyone, except IGN, who gave the film a 6 (okay) rating, is more than pleased with the latest movie.
Now, we’re not totally bashing everyone’s favorite video game website. The reviewer did love Jim Carrey’s duo performance as Dr. Robotnik and his grandfather Gerald Robotnik, and the excellent use of CGI for the film’s scenes featuring Team Sonic and the bad-ass anti-hero Shadow The Hedgehog.
But for the other critics and fans, those things mentioned above, the perfect casting of Keanu Reeves to bring Shadow to the big screen alongside returning favorites Ben Schwartz (Sonic), Idris Elba (Knuckles), and Colleen O’Shaughnessey (Tails) were the chef’s kiss.
Jeff Fowler Went Out His Way To Please Sonic the Hedgehog Fans
Returning director Jeff Fowler clearly did his homework when making these Sonic films. He went hard on the fan service, which was also a big hit with fans of the video game franchise, as the movie is peppered with references to the video games.
I did this like seven times during #SonicMovie3 pic.twitter.com/AmdAZqnRur
— The Green Kasey 🎃 (@RawbertBeef) December 21, 2024
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Sonic The Hedgehog’s success at the box office should be studied; who can forget the reaction to the film’s first CGI design for Sonic, which was so bad that social media successfully bullied the director and his team to go back to the drawing board and make changes.
Those changes have paid off big-time, giving Paramount some bragging rights because they can say, without much pushback from anyone, that the Sonic the Hedgehog movie franchise is the best video game film adaption ever.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
1. Definitely not wrong with this take.
3. A job well done Jeff.
4. We agree
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With the upcoming release of the movie Sonic The Hedgehog 3 in theaters on Friday, Dec. 20, Sega is dropping a new Sonic video game featuring True Blue’s antagonist Shadow The Hedgehog in a new adventure.
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Ready for pre-order for $49.99 at Target, Sonic X Shadow Generations for Sony PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch is set for release on Friday, October 25.
And if you’re a Target Circle member, you can order now and get Sonic X Shadow Generations delivered straight to your home in two days.
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Not a member? Sign up for a free membership to take advantage of all that Target Circle has to offer, including access to “deal of the day” products, instant savings on select items, three months of Apple TV+ to watch hit originals, access to exclusive shopping events — such as Target’s Deal Days and early Black Friday deals — and other perks.
If you want to take it a step further, you can sign up for the Target Circle Card (with no annual fee), which offers an extra 5% discount on all purchases, two-day free shipping with no order minimums and more. Learn more about the Target Circle Card here.
In addition, Sonic X Shadow Generations is available for pre-order at Walmart and Amazon.
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‘Sonic X Shadow Generations’ for PS5
Release date: Oct. 25
Sega
Pre-Order
‘Sonic X Shadow Generations’ for Xbox Series X
Release date: Oct. 25
Sega
Pre-Order
‘Sonic X Shadow Generations’ for Nintendo Switch
Release date: Oct. 25
As for the game itself, Sonic X Shadow Generations is a collection of that features a new campaign with Shadow trying to take down Black Doom, who has re-emerged to rule the world, as well as Modern and Classic Sonic teaming up to stop Dr. Eggman from splitting the timeline with Time Eater.
Additionally, the game features retro levels from past Sonic releases that are playable throughout the new game.
Dropping on Friday, Oct. 25, Sonic X Shadow Generations comes out for PS5, Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch. The game is available for pre-order right now for $49.99 at Target, Walmart and Amazon. In the meantime, watch the story trailer, below.
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Source: SEGA / Sonic X Shadow Generations / Sonic Central 2024
The fourth Sonic Central livestream event was full of announcements regarding everything Sonic The Hedgehog coming in the future.
The live stream event, which kicked off Tuesday at noon Eastern time, gave fans a glimpse into the world of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise.
While it was short on video game-related announcements, there were still a handful of reveals involving Sonic, his buddies, plus his rival Shadow.
Sonic X Shadows Generations Gets Another Trailer & Other Goodies
A new story trailer for the upcoming game was revealed. We also got more cinematic and gameplay footage focusing on Shadow’s standalone campaign, which hints at some time-traveling adventure involving Shadow chasing down Maria.
Fans can also look forward to a 3-part animated prologue called Dark Beginnings that will “delve into the origins of Shadow’s past.” The first episode, “Shadow and Maria,” will air on 9/25, followed by episode two, “Finding The Way,” on 10/03, and episode three, “To The Ark,” on 10/10.
Those who pre-order a physical edition of Sonic x Shadow Generations will get Gerald Robotnik’s 24-page booklet when the game becomes available when the game arrives on October 25.
Sonic Teams Up With DC Comics For An Epic Crossover
Starting in March 2025, Sonic and his buddies will get a DC Comics makeover. Shadow will, of course, don the cape and cowl as Batman, Sonic will suit up as The Flash, Tails will become Cyborg, Knuckles will become Superman, Amy will become Wonder Woman, and Silver the Hedgehog will become Green Lantern.
Sonic Is Coming To Top Golf
You can join Sonic on the golf course virtually soon at a Top Golf near you. Sonic-themed virtual golf courses allow players to avoid obstacles and collect rings like the blue blur by hitting golf balls.
A Behind The Scenes Look At Sonic The Hedgehog 3
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 is shaping up to be the biggest film in the movie franchise. Not only are all the favorites from the first two films returning, but you can now add Keanu Reeves to the mix, voicing fan-favorite Shadow The Hedgehog.
No new footage from the film was shown, but the team behind the project promised plenty of easter eggs for fans to look out for and shared more information on the film’s plot.
Also announced was Sonic Rumble coming this winter to PC and mobile; Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is getting more Sonic downloadable content, a Sonic motorbike helmet, LEGO collaborations, and more.
Plenty of Sonic for the foreseeable future.
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Ahead of Sonic The Hedgehog 3, due in theaters on Friday, Dec. 20, you can get ready for the third movie with the Knuckles spinoff (no pun intended) series. Although it was made for the Paramount+ streaming service, you can now buy the physical media version.
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Starting at $16.99, Knuckles is now on DVD and Blu-ray at Target and other retailers.
And if you’re a Target Circle member, you can order now and get Knuckles delivered straight to your home in two days (with orders more than $35).
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Not a member? Sign up for a free membership to take advantage of all that Target Circle has to offer, including access to “deal of the day” products, instant savings on select items, three months of Apple TV+ to watch hit originals, access to exclusive shopping events — such as Target’s Deal Days and early Black Friday deals — and other perks.
If you want to take it a step further, you can sign up for the Target Circle Card (with no annual fee), which offers an extra 5% discount on all purchases, two-day free shipping with no order minimums and more. Learn more about the Target Circle Card here.
In addition, Knuckles on DVD and Blu-ray is ready to buy at Amazon.
Paramount Pictures/Sega
‘Knuckles’
Taking place between Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the Knuckles TV series follows Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) showing deputy sheriff Wade Whipple (Adam Pally) how to be a fierce Echidna warrior.
The spinoff also stars Cary Elwes, Edi Patterson, Stockard Channing, Julian Barratt, Rory McCann, Scott Mescudi, Ellie Taylor, Tika Sumpter, Ben Schwartz, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, Christopher Lloyd and others.
Knuckles is available on DVD and Blu-ray starting at $16.99 at Target. Watch a trailer for the TV show below.
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Source: Paramount Pictures / SEGA / Sonic The Hedgehog 3 / Shadow
FINALLY, the first trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has arrived, and it did not disappoint in building hype for the third film in the Sonic movie trilogy.
Fans have been patiently waiting to get their first glimpse of Shadow in action after his tease at the end of Sonic The Hedgehog 2.
To get fans even more hype for the popular anti-hero, Paramount Studios revealed that Keanu Reeves would lend his signature voice to help bring Shadow The Hedgehog to the big screen.
After months of speculation, the first trailer for the film has arrived, and it does not disappoint.
In Sonic The Hedgehog 3, Team Sonic, comprised of the titular character, his trusty sidekick Tails, and new buddy Knuckles (Idris Elba), is an official task force working with the government to tackle threats they can’t handle.
Source: Paramount Pictures / SEGA / Sonic The Hedgehog 3
The trio of color and extremely fast heroes meet their match in Shadow, who shares a story similar to his blue counterpart’s, but instead of finding a family, he only endures pain and loss.
Shadow uses those emotions, plus his impressive abilities, to gain the upper hand on Team Sonic, forcing them to enlist the help of Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey), who now looks like Dr. Eggman more than ever, sporting his signature mustache, big stomach, and bald head.
Source: Paramount Pictures / SEGA / Sonic The Hedgehog 3
Since Robotnik can no longer take over the world, he decides to help it, but rest assured, he will be up to some nefarious shenanigans because he meets his long-lost father.
Sonic The Hedgehog Fans Are Excited
As expected, Sonic The Hedgehog fans are losing their rings after watching the first action-packed trailer for the third highly anticipated film in what has been one of the solid video game movie franchises.
We hope we also get a Shadow spinoff series.
You can catch Keanu Reeves as Shadow in Sonic The Hedgehog 3 when it speeds into theaters on December 20.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
1. Sounds accurate to us
2. A moment indeed
4. Yes, yes he does
6. Let’s goooooooo
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Ahead of the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 in theaters, a new six-episode spinoff TV series featuring Knuckles the Echidna is set to tide us over until the movie’s release on Dec. 20.
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Starring Idris Elba, Knuckles drops on Friday, April 26, on Paramount+. All episodes are available to stream for subscribers only.
How to Watch Knuckles Online for Free
If you’re not a Paramount+ subscriber, then you can take advantage of the streaming service’s seven-day free trial to watch Knuckles and other Paramount+ originals, including Halo, Star Trek Discovery, 1883, Lawmen: Bass Reeves and Frasier (2023). You can also watch live sports from the NFL, PGA, NWSL and UEFA Champions League, as well as live news from CBS News. After the free trial is over, you can either keep watching, or cancel altogether.
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Meanwhile, Paramount+ has two tiers for streaming plans. The first is the Paramount+ Essential plan, which is ad-supported and goes for $5.99 per month. It grants you access to everything the streamer has to offer, including and catalog titles — from hubs such as CBS, BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon and The Smithsonian Channel — but with limited commercial breaks throughout movies, TV shows and live TV.
The other is Paramount+ with Showtime, which is ad-free and goes for $11.99 per month. This plan has all of Paramount+ originals and network hubs, as well as programming from Showtime with hits including Yellowjackets, Billions, The Curse, The Chi and Your Honor without any ad breaks.
How to Watch The Sonic the Hedgehog Movies Online for Free
Want to watch the Sonic the Hedgehog movies before you watch Knuckles? Both Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 are available to stream on Paramount+, along with the two animated series: Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog — both from 1993.
Knuckles takes place between the events of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and follows Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) teaching deputy sheriff Wade Whipple (Adam Pally) how to be a fierce Echidna warrior.
The new TV series also stars Cary Elwes, Edi Patterson, Stockard Channing, Julian Barratt, Rory McCann, Scott Mescudi, Ellie Taylor, Tika Sumpter, Ben Schwartz, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, Christopher Lloyd and others.
Knuckles is available to stream on Paramount+ starting on Friday, April 26. Watch a trailer for the new TV show below.
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Source: Momodu Mansaray / Getty / Keanu Reeves
It’s not often that we get perfect castings in films, but according to X, Paramount got this one right.
Multiple sources are telling The Hollywood Reporter that Keanu Reeves and his iconic voice will bring to life fan-favorite character Shadow The Hedgehog in the highly anticipated film Sonic 3.
The news first reported by The John Campea Show comes after Paramount had a strong showing at CinemaCon last week in Las Vegas, where attendees saw some early footage from Sonic The Hedgehog 3.
In the footage, attendees were happy to see that Jim Carrey is back as Dr. Robotnik, who is now depressed and overweight after being defeated by his long-time nemesis, Sonic.
Robotnik regains his mojo after creating Shadow, who is, in every sense, the dark version of the Blue Blur and has similar abilities.
Following a lackluster trailer that first introduced a hideous Sonic The Hedgehog design that Twitter bullied the studio into changing, the first movie raced into theaters in 2020, earning a whopping $319 million at the box office and becoming one of the last theatrical blockbusters right before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down.
Sonic 2 arrived in 2022, introducing more characters like Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) and Knuckles (Idris Elba), earning $404 million.
Reeves continues to stay quite busy in Hollywood, most recently starring in John Wick 4, bringing back Neo in The Matrix: Resurrections, reprising his role as John Wick in the upcoming spinoff John Wick Presents: The Ballerina, and a role in Aziz Ansari’s Good Fortune.
Social Media Users Chime In On The Casting
Following the announcement, X, formerly Twitter, celebrates Reeves casting in the film.
“THIS IS GONNA BE THE GREATEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH,” one X user wrote.
Another post read, “perfect casting.”
Some fans are disappointed because they wanted Star Wars star Hayden Christensen to voice Shadow.
If you ask us, this sounds like a win to us. You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
2. We will be seated for this epicness.
3. Sonic fans we are eating
4. We would love to see it.
7. Howling
9. Yes, yes they do.
10. Continue to cook
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