As Sonic the Hedgehog 3 races toward its December 20 release, fans are already buzzing about what’s to come after the threequel—and, as expected, the film is poised to tease another iconic character to set up future installments. Director Jeff Fowler recently revealed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that, much like Sonic 2 introduced Shadow and Sonic 1 brought in Tails, Sonic 3 will keep the tradition of teasing new faces for the franchise’s future.
“We have a lot of the same conversations. We’ve all got our favorites, and we’re making great cases for who should be next,” Fowler said, hinting at the behind-the-scenes excitement. Fans online have been speculating for months about which beloved Sega character could be next in line, with names like Amy Rose, Silver, Metal Sonic, and even Big the Cat making the rounds. While we can’t say for sure who will pop up, it’s clear that Sonic’s cinematic universe is only going to grow.
In the same interview, Fowler also touched on one of the more anticipated characters in the franchise—Shadow the Hedgehog, who will be voiced by Keanu Reeves in the upcoming film. Shadow was teased at the end of Sonic 2, and now Sonic 3 is set to dive deeper into his origin story.
Paramount is likely waiting to see how Sonic the Hedgehog 3 performs at the box office before greenlighting a fourth film, but the team behind the franchise is already planning big things for Sonic’s future. Executive producer Toby Ascher previously teased that future Sonic films could feature “Avengers-level events,” hinting at a much larger Sonic Cinematic Universe in the works.
In the meantime, fans will also get a chance to see the adorable Chao make their way into the film, not just as an Easter egg but as part of a larger scene. Fowler confirmed that we’ll see a Chao Gardens-themed restaurant in Tokyo, where Team Sonic can have a moment to regroup. The Chao, those lovable little creatures, will add another layer of charm to the film as they continue to weave into the narrative.
As Sonic 3 approaches its release, the excitement is only growing over what’s next for the beloved blue blur and his expanding cinematic universe. Fans will have to wait a little longer to see which character gets teased, but one thing is clear—Sonic’s big-screen adventures are just getting started.
