The upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie has officially confirmed Keanu Reeves as the voice of Shadow the Hedgehog. Read on to discover more about this exciting casting choice and what it means for the film.
Sonic 3 Confirms Keanu Reeves as Shadow
First Official Trailer Possibly Arriving Next Week
Hollywood icon Keanu Reeves will lend his voice to the enigmatic anti-hero, Shadow the Hedgehog, in the highly anticipated Sonic the Hedgehog 3. The announcement, made via a playful teaser on the Sonic movie TikTok account, featured a "ForeSHADOWing" message, clips of a young Keanu Reeves from Speed, and Sonic enthusiastically declaring Reeves a "national treasure."
Rumors of Reeves' involvement circulated months ago. Shadow's presence was subtly teased in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, depicted cryogenically frozen within a mysterious facility. Known for his complex personality and ambiguous loyalties, Shadow has historically been both a rival and ally to Sonic, hinting at a potentially explosive dynamic in the new film. A full trailer, expected as early as next week, should offer a clearer glimpse into their relationship.
Ben Schwartz, the voice of Sonic, previously expressed his excitement about Shadow's introduction to Screen Rant, stating, "I think fans are going to be excited and I think fans understand how much we care about them. We changed the film from the response to the first trailer, which I think was the very right move. I think fans will feel like they're being taken care of, I hope, because we always do it for them, and it hasn’t failed yet."
Returning alongside Reeves are Jim Carrey as Doctor "Eggman" Robotnik, Colleen O'Shaughnessey as Tails, and Idris Elba as Knuckles. The film also welcomes actress Krysten Ritter in an as-yet-unrevealed role.
The Sonic movie franchise's success has significantly impacted the broader Sonic brand. In a 2022 interview with VGC, Sonic Team's Takashi Iizuka acknowledged the challenge of balancing the expectations of dedicated fans with the needs of a wider, newer audience, commenting, "Because of the success of the movies, we’re finding that we’re reaching into this wider audience of people who maybe never played the game before, or don’t play them that much. It’s this wider group of fans who we need to start now making content for."
With Sonic the Hedgehog 3 slated for release on December 20th, fans won't have long to wait before witnessing Sonic, Shadow, and the rest of the cast in action.
