After racing toward the finish line at top speed, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 director Jeff Fowler is wrapping up production on the Blue Blur’s latest adventure! Fowler announced the film’s production wrap via Twitter/X with a new photo from the set. In the image, Fowler holds a giant clapper with drawings of the threequel’s primary animated cast, including Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Shadow. The latest addition to the cast, Shadow, takes the spotlight on the clapper, while Tails and Knuckles give the anti-hero the stink eye. Meanwhile, Sonic appears unbothered by Shadow’s presence, shrugging off the new player’s prominence. If you look past the clapper, you’ll find Fowler wearing a shirt saying “Keep Calm and Jim Carrey On,” a nod to the comedic actor’s franchise return as Dr. Robotnik.
Earlier this month, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 star James Marsden confirmed that filming for the highly-anticipated sequel concluded, saying, “Yeah, we just wrapped, actually!” Marsden told The Playlist. “I feel really proud of what we created, and the response from the fans, we just had to get the animation right on that first movie, but great family, all positive. Jim’s just having a ball, he’s in his inspiration zone… So it’s a joy to watch him have a good time, like really enjoying it again. It’s great, very lucky to be a part of it, and I think fans are gonna be excited about all the new characters.”
James Marsden reprises his role as Tom Wachowski in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the sheriff of Green Hills. Other returning cast members include Ben Schwartz as Sonic the Hedgehog, Colleen O’Shaughnessey as Miles “Tails” Prower, Idris Elba as Knuckles the Echidna, Tika Sumpter as Maddie Wachowski, Tom Butler as Commander Walters, Lee Majdoub as Agent Stone, and, of course, Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik. New cast members include Krysten Ritter, James Wolk, Sofia Pernas, Cristo Fernández, Jorma Taccone, and Alyla Browne, who is said to be playing Maria. Shadow the Hedgehog will also appear after being teased in the mid-credits scene of the previous movie.
The next chapter of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise is Knuckles, a six-episode series set to premiere on Paramount+. The series takes place between the events of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and “follows Knuckles (Elba) on a hilarious and action-packed journey of self-discovery as he agrees to train Wade (Adam Pally) as his protégé and teach him the ways of the Echidna warrior.” Knuckles will debut on April 26th, followed by Sonic the Hedgehog 3 on December 20th.