“Sonic the Hedgehog 3”: Keanu Reeves is the voice of Shadow

“Sonic the Hedgehog” just got a whole lot darker. IndieWire has learned that Keanu Reeves has been cast as the voice of Shadow, the evil, lab-created black hedgehog counterpart to Sonic, in Paramount’s upcoming “Sonic the Hedgehog 3.” Paramount had no comment.

Reeves joins a voice cast that includes Ben Schwartz as Sonic, Colleen O’Shaughnessey as Tails and Idris Elba as Knuckles, who debuted in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and is getting his own spinoff series on Paramount+ later this year. James Marsden and Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik also return to the live-action cast. Jeff Fowler, who directed the first two installments, returns for the three sequels.

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Shadow’s appearance in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was hinted at at the end of the previous film, and CinemaCon audiences got to see Shadow in action for the first time during Paramount’s presentation, when he is recruited by Carrey’s Eggman (now so overweight that he matches the video game villain’s cartoonish girth) and engages in a high-speed battle with Sonic. We haven’t received an official announcement of the voice actor who will portray him, however.

Some fans had their fingers crossed that Batman-era Robert Pattinson would jump into the role during casting, but we think fans would be fine with Neo and John Wick as well.

At CinemaCon, Reeves was also seen reprising his role as John Wick in the Wick spinoff Ballerina, which won’t hit theaters until summer 2025. He also plays an angel in Aziz Ansari’s upcoming comedy Good Fortune, opposite Ansari and Seth Rogen. He is currently in production on Constantine 2. Reeves has also lent his voice to the video game Cyberpunk 2077, Toy Story 4, and most recently Batman in DC League of Super-Pets.

Shadow is Sonic’s arch-rival and antagonist in the “Sonic” video games, although he sometimes works with Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and co. He was first introduced in 2001 in “Sonic Adventure 2” for Sega Dreamcast.

2022’s Sonic the Hedgehog 2 grossed $405 million at the worldwide box office, surpassing the $319 million of the original, the first in a revival of successful video game adaptations in Hollywood. News of Keanu Reeves’ casting was first reported by The John Campea Show.

“Sonic the Hedgehog 3” will be in theaters on December 20th.

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