Keanu Reeves is adding another iconic role to his repertoire by joining the cast of ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3′ as the voice of Shadow, according to multiple sources.
Reeves’ involvement was announced following Paramount’s exciting presentation at CinemaCon, where the studio unveiled exclusive footage from Sonic 3. The preview revealed that Jim Carrey’s character, Dr. Robotnik, experiences a downturn after the events of Sonic 2 but rebounds creatively by introducing Shadow the Hedgehog, a fan-favorite character introduced in the Sonic video games in 2001’s Sonic Adventure 2. Shadow serves as a dark and edgy counterpart to Sonic, showcasing similar abilities while embodying a contrasting persona.
Paramount’s Sonic movie series kicked off with the successful 2020 release of ‘Sonic the Hedgehog,’ which surpassed expectations with a global box office total of $319 million, proving to be a standout in the video game adaptation genre. The sequel, ‘Sonic 2,’ followed in 2022 and achieved even greater success with a global gross of $404 million. Director Jeff Fowler helms all three installments, featuring Ben Schwartz voicing Sonic alongside James Marsden as Tom Wachowski, Sonic’s human friend.
Keanu Reeves has been a fixture in blockbuster films, recently starring in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ and reprising his iconic role as Neo in ‘The Matrix: Resurrections’ (2021). Upcoming projects include Aziz Ansari’s ‘Good Fortune,’ where he portrays a guardian angel, and a cameo appearance as the renowned assassin in ‘John Wick Presents: Ballerina,’ a spinoff starring Ana De Armas.
