"Pop Quiz, hot shot!" Who's a video game character with two-gloved thumbs who's getting another movie? Well, Mario (Chris Pratt) since The Super Mario Bros. Movie made a billion dollars, but the Italian Plumber's industry rival Sonic (Ben Schwartz) is also getting another feature film with Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

Even though film and television adaptations of video games are nowhere near as stigmatized now as they were before, the original Sonic the Hedgehog was fighting an up(green)hill battle before it even came out. This was due to the notoriously hideous design of Sonic, which looked more like a character from Five Nights at Freddy's instead of the lovable Blue Speedster. It got things off to a rough start, but that was before the creative team behind the film did something wholly unexpected and completely redesigned Sonic, making a far more game-accurate version of the character.

Maybe this was all an elaborate PR move on the part of Paramount, but regardless, Sonic the Hedgehog became a massive success at the box office. For good reason, too, as the film really is an unexpected blast packed with the fast-paced action one would expect from a Sonic the Hedgehog film. This momentum continued with Sonic the Hedgehog 2, which expanded the franchise with the introduction of Sonic's two iconic friends, Tails (Colleen O'Shaughnessey) and Knuckles (Idris Elba).

The success of the two movies (as well as a spin-off series following Knuckles along the way) made a third Sonic the Hedgehog film all but confirmed. If the end-credits sequence from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is any indication, there's a good chance the third installment will introduce a beloved fan-favorite anti-hero from the long-running game series. To learn more about the franchise's third installment, and its production status, plot, release window, and more, here is everything we know so far about Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

Editor's Note: This piece was updated on April 20, 2024.

Does 'Sonic the Hedgehog 3' Have a Release Date?

Despite production being delayed due to months of industry strikes, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is still slated to race into theaters on Friday, December 20, 2024. This was recently confirmed by the official Sonic the Hedgehog Twitter/X page, which also once again confirms the arrival of a certain shadowy hedgehog:

Where Can You Watch 'Sonic the Hedgehog 3'?

The above production update also confirms that, just like the last two Sonic the Hedgehog films, it will be released exclusively in theaters on December 20. Once the theatrical run of Sonic's third adventure concludes, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will almost certainly become available to stream on Paramount+. That's the streaming platform where you can watch the first two Sonic the Hedgehog movies and where the upcoming Knuckles series will be premiering.

Does 'Sonic the Hedgehog 3' Have a Trailer?

While we've yet to get a full-blown trailer for the upcoming film, we did get a title teaser for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 on February 2, 2024. With an orchestral version of the song "Live and Learn" from Sonic Adventure 2 in the background, the title alone definitely confirms that Shadow the Hedgehog will have a large role in the upcoming film. The trailer also features some ominous evil laughter in the background, which likely belongs to everyone's favorite mad scientist.

Some new footage for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was also shown at CinemaCon 2024, but it was shown behind closed doors.

Who Stars in 'Sonic the Hedgehog 3'?

Likely once again lending his voice to the Blue Speedster himself is Parks and Recreation star Ben Schwartz, who perfectly captured the charisma and personality of the cocky-yet-lovable Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic will almost certainly be joined by the friends he made in the prior two films, such as the technological genius Tails the Fox, played by the original games' voice actor Colleen O'Shaughnessey, as well as the hot-headed Knuckles the Echidna, played by Luther and Pacific Rim star Idris Elba. Also, more than likely possible returning faces are X-Men's James Marsden as Sonic's best friend Tom, Southside with You's Tika Sumpter as Tom's wife Maddie, and The White Lotus' Natasha Rothwell as Maddie's sister Rachel. Newcomers to the cast include Jessica Jones' Krysten Ritter, The Brave's Sofia Pernas, Ted Lasso's Cristo Fernández, Watchmen's James Wolk, The Lonely Island's Jorma Taccone, and Sting's Alyla Browne.

One of the biggest question marks for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was if legendary comedian Jim Carrey would reprise his role as Sonic's arch-rival, Dr. Ivo Robotnik. Thankfully, not long after the title teaser dropped, it was revealed that the star of The Truman Show would be returning for the third film. Shortly after Sonic the Hedgehog 2's release, Carrey announced that he was looking to retire from acting. Carrey has stayed true to that promise so far as he hasn't appeared in a film since Sonic the Hedgehog 2, but given how popular Carrey's portrayal of the iconic video game villain is, it would have been a shame if he didn't appear. Plus, the film's end-credits scene seemed to heavily imply that we haven't seen the last of Robotnik, and it's great to hear that the next film will be staying true to that promise.

Speaking of the end-credits scene, it was revealed that John Wick himself, Keanu Reeves will be voicing the fan-favorite character of Shadow the Hedgehog in the upcoming threequel.

What Is the 'Sonic the Hedgehog' Story So Far?

The story of the film version of Sonic the Hedgehog begins with a young Sonic being forced to flee his own dimension, ending up in our own world. Sonic spent his whole life watching the world pass by him without interacting with it himself. Eventually, though, Sonic accidentally catches the attention of the brilliant but deranged Ivo Robotnic, who uses his robots to track down the mysterious blue alien. With the help of his new friend Tom, Sonic is able to use his dimension-transporting rings to send Robotnik to a world filled only with mushrooms.

Not long after, Robotnik finds a way to return to Earth when he meets Knuckles, who has his own reasons for wanting to destroy Sonic. When Robotnik returns, Sonic also meets young Tails, who wants to help Sonic find one of the legendary Chaos Emeralds. Along this incredible odyssey, Knuckles learns that Sonic is not the enemy he thought he was, and helps him and Tails defeat Robotnik. They do, but Robotnik's undercover associate Agent Stone (Lee Majdoub) may still be working for his insane employer. Not only that, but the military has discovered a secret lab that has successfully created a near-perfect clone of Sonic with the codename of Shadow.

Who Is Making 'Sonic the Hedgehog 3'?

Once again returning to the director's chair is Jeff Fowler, who directed the prior two Sonic the Hedgehog films. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will also feature returning screenwriters Pat Casey and Josh Miller, as well as executive producer Tim Miller (Love, Death & Robots).

The rest of the crew also includes cinematographer Brandon Trost (Bros), editor Al LeVine (Silicon Valley), and production designer Luke Freeborn (Simplicity).

When Did 'Sonic the Hedgehog 3' Start Filming?

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 technically began filming in Summer 2023 in London, but that process was put on hold when the SAG-AFTRA strike began. After the Actor's Strike had been resolved, filming started up again on November 29, with the film now speeding towards a speedy release by Christmas 2024.

Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 are available to stream on Paramount+. The new spin-off series Knuckles will also be coming to the platform on April 26, 2024.

Watch on Paramount+