Warning: a massive SPOILER for Sonic The Hedgehog 2 is about to be discussed. If you’re not looking to ruin the surprise, head out to CinemaBlend’s vast library of other coverage.
Post and mid-credit scenes are pretty much a standard practice at this point thanks to Marvel’s Iron Man turning what was once a novelty into almost a necessity. After director Jon Favreau surprised us all with Nick Fury and ‘The Avengers Initiative,’ established and would-be cinematic universes gained another tool to use in the name of teasing the road ahead. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 continues the tradition that was set during the ending of its predecessor, i.e. introducing another spoilery character for future mayhem.
In the light of this development, some of the cast shared awesome ideas on who should voice this mysterious presence. This is the last chance you’ll have to turn away from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 spoilers. Should you need a quick escape route, feel free to check out the upcoming 2022 movies headed to theaters and avoid all the deep stuff. Otherwise, hold tight, because we’re about to go Super Sonic on the spoilers.
In the final moments of the movie, not only do we see Lee Majdoub’s Agent Stone escaping in disguise, we also learn that Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) has disappeared without a trace. He's now being hunted by the shadowy organization Guardian Units of Nations, or G.U.N. for short, a 50-year-old secret that has found its way to the light.
If the names “G.U.N.” or “Project Shadow” didn’t already perk up your ears, the Sonic the Hedgehog sequel probably blew your mind with its final reveal. Showing a containment unit that held none other than Shadow the Hedgehog, the road to a potential Sonic the Hedgehog 3, as well as the blossoming cinematic universe overall, is about to get rocky. This meant it was time for me to go digging during the press day for Sonic the Hedgehog 2, as I asked the cast who they thought should become the voice of Shadow.
Starting with Colleen O’Shaughnessy, a Sonic legacy cast member whose Tails voice crossed from the games and animated series into Paramount’s latest blockbuster, things got off to an interesting start. Making a fantastic suggestion for a Hollywood legend she’d love to hear as Shadow the Hedgehog, but also stumping for more original voice actors to return, here’s what O’Shaughnessy told CinemaBlend:
Oh gosh. If Jack Nicholson was still working, I would say Jack Nicholson. I think that would be a great choice. I don’t know. It’s a really good question, I hadn’t thought about that. From a voice actor perspective, I would love the voice actor to get to do it.
Much like a true fan and veteran of the franchise, Colleen O’Shaughnessy had her suspicions that Sonic’s modern anti-hero counterpart was on his way. With that thread now woven in, and the $72 million opening weekend achieved by Sonic 2, it seems that Shadow’s time has come. Admittedly, Jack Nicholson is such a cool choice, and maybe someone at Paramount knows his agent and can float the notion.
Then again, Colleen wasn’t the only person who gave me an opinion on the matter. Ever resourceful, much like his Sonic the Hedgehog franchise character Agent Stone, Lee Majdoub threw a heater of a suggestion into the field of speculation. If you thought the Nicholson suggestion was wonderful, wait until you get a load of who Lee suggested:
That’s a tough question. Holy crap. … You know who might be interesting? Henry Cavill. Bringing in a little bit of that like gravelly, grounded, deep [voice.] … I wanna see that guy do everything. I love him.
Even coming into the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 interviews armed with the question on who should voice Shadow the Hedgehog, I couldn’t have guessed Henry Cavill would come up. With his public displays of geekiness always on display through the internet (like that time Cavill built a computer in a tank top), it could even be assumed that The Witcher star would take the job if offered. Tie that in with writer/director Christopher McQuarrie’s hypothetical revival of August Walker in a Mission: Impossible sequel, and Paramount could have a fruitful relationship with Henry Cavill for years to come.
Admittedly, the first and easiest suggestion I came up with was Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. With the man being canonized in universe, much like Parks and Recreation’s Jean-Ralphio, through the power of jokes, it’s an easy bet. Although that’s also the downfall of casting Johnson as the voice of Shadow, as it looks like the predictable next step. Which is exactly why the next and final dream casting session is the one to end on.
Running through the suggestions I’d heard in the other rooms with actors Tika Sumpter and Natasha Rothwell, who respectively play sisters Maddie and Rachel in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, the fun really began. Initially stumped with who to even suggest, both ladies came up with a novel strategy to turn everything on its head.
Just as director Jeff Fowler suggested that the adaptation of the Sonic franchise doesn’t have to follow a linear progression through the games, Shadow the Hedgehog could be gender flipped for the Sonic Cinematic Universe. Built on that pivot, here’s who Tika Sumpter and Natasha Rothwell think should play Shadow:
Tika Sumpter: I like the Jack Nicholson suggestion. That’d be really different.
Natasha Rothwell: It would. I’m also just like, ‘They’re all men.’ Why can we consider some women, some female options? I don’t know, but I mean Wanda Sykes. I’m just thinking of like really distinctive voices now. That would be insane. I think the potential is endless.
Sumpter: Ooh, Helen Mirren.
Rothwell: There you go! You could do that. … I was gonna say Octavia Spencer. That’s why I’m not a casting director.
Dame Helen Mirren is now the ultimate casting suggestion for Shadow the Hedgehog, though I’ll admit I’m still hung up on Henry Cavill. There’s really no wrong answers here, as the Sonic the Hedgehog movies are so flexible that pretty much anyone can play in the sandbox. All that needs to happen is for the innocence and fun that Jim Carrey credits to the franchise to be present, and the rest takes care of itself.
If you’ve read through this entire rundown and haven’t seen Sonic the Hedgehog 2 yet, why are you in slo-mo? The film is now showing in theaters, and if you need to catch up on the first Sonic the Hedgehog movie, it’s available to stream on Paramount+ at the time of this writing. While you don't need to go too fast, you might want to get in on the fun before everything gets spoiled.
