‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3,’ live-action Knuckles spin-off series in the works
Sega and Paramount are working on supersonic speeds to further expand the Sonic Cinematic Universe.
According to Deadline, Sega and Paramount confirmed that a third Sonic the Hedgehog film is now in development. The announcement was made ahead of the highly awaited release of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on April 8.
“We are delighted to announce that the third Sonic theatrical film and the first live-action Sonic series for Paramount+ are being actively developed. We’ve got a remarkable partnership with Paramount, and we are excited to continue expanding the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise with them,” Sega CEO Haruki Satomi said. “2022 is shaping up to be a significant year for the franchise with the second film being released this April, as well as Sonic Frontiers, the highly anticipated video game title, coming this holiday. Sonic has been beloved by fans across the world for over 30 years and we look forward to continuing to bring memorable moments and experiences to them for many years to come.”
The first live-action film adaptation of the beloved video game franchise became the top-grossing film when it premiered in 2020, earning $320 million at the worldwide box office.
“For more than three decades, Sonic the Hedgehog’s universe of vibrant, unique characters has generated one of the most passionate fanbases,” said Robbins. “We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Sega, Neal Moritz, and all our creative partners as we explore additive ways to holistically scale the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise across platforms and captivate its loyal audience around the world.”
Aside from that, a live-action Knuckles spin-off series is also in the works at Paramount Plus, with Idris Elba attached to reprise his role. As of this writing, details about the new live-action adaptation remain firmly under wraps.
Knuckles, the beloved red echidna in Sega's iconic video game franchise, first appeared as an antagonist in 1994's Sonic the Hedgehog 3 for Sega Genesis and later became a playable character in the sequel Sonic and Knuckles.
Elba, who recently appeared in James Gunn’s Suicide Squad 2, is set to voice the live-action version of Knuckles in Paramount's Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
Elba will join previously announced cast such as Ben Schwartz (Sonic), Colleen O'Shaughnessey (Tails), Jim Carrey (Dr. Robotnik), James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, Adam Pally, and Shemar Moore.
Before being cast as Knuckles, Elba previously lent his voice in several CGI projects including The Jungle Book, Zootopia, and Finding Dory. He also appeared in Avengers: Infinity War, Thor Ragnarok, Luther, and The Office.
Meanwhile, a leaked synopsis for the second movie installment of Sonic the Hedgehog earlier revealed that Knuckles will help Dr. Robotnik "search for an emerald that has the power to both build and destroy civilizations."
Sonic, on the other hand, will team up with Tails "and embark on a journey to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands."