You cannot make this stuff up, folks. Just a handful of years after we all mocked that first Sonic the Hedgehog trailer, the 2024 movie schedule has delivered a sterling threequel into our laps in time for the holidays. But it appears that we’ve got another present under the tree from Paramount and Sega.
We now have news that Sonic the Hedgehog 4 has officially been given a greenlight, and there's even an initial release date to keep in mind! So now that we know this is in the works, I really need to chat with you all about how excited I am about Sonic 3’s end credits scenes, and what they could mean.
Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Is Happening, And It Won’t Be Too Far Off
Per reporting broken by Variety, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is officially greenlit, and with a release date eyed for the vague time frame of “spring 2027.” While that’s slightly longer than the biennial release structure that’s been in place for the first three Sonic movies, it’s still pretty close in the grand scheme of things. That leads us to the known unknowns that are present in this scenario, which I hope will be clarified in the weeks to come.
At the moment, we’re not sure of any returning cast members, outside of Ben Schwartz, who shared this announcement on his Instagram. However, the assumption that other key cast members like James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Adam Pally, Colleen O’Shaughnessy and Idris Elba will be back for the ride is a pretty strong one.
I’d also like to think that Sonic the Hedgehog 4 will have director Jeff Fowler, as well as writers Pat Casey and Josh Miller, onboard, too. Team Sonic has been a consistent winner, so why would anyone want to break up a roster as solid as this? Especially when our speculation of Sonic the Hedgehog 3's character additions has kinda paid off!
Sonic The Hedgehog 3’s Mid And Post Credit Sequences Just Got A Lot More Exciting
Warning: SPOILERS for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 are ahead!
Consider this the last spinning signpost that warns you off from SPOILERS for Sonic the Hedgehog 3; because I need to talk about the teases we’ve been given to the future. Let’s start with the mid-credit sequence, which sees Sonic (Ben Schwartz) accidentally racing across the country to New York State… where he’s met by a bunch of Metal Sonics. Just when all hope looks to be lost, a pink blur appears with a hammer and an attitude. And yes, her name is Amy Rose!
Meanwhile, the post-credits sequence sees us focused on a familiar looking image: a smoking crater, which carries nothing more than a golden bracelet. A very familiar sneaker walks into view, and a gloved hand picks up that item with purpose. As the music stings, one things is clear: Shadow the Hedgehog (Keanu Reeves) survived, baby!
So let’s break this down step by step, starting with Amy’s presence in Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s mid-credits scene. Her arrival, along with the Metal Sonic army isn’t a coincidence, as both characters made their Sega console debuts in 1993’s Sonic CD. While she’s older than depicted in that game, I think that between the nemesis chosen and the darker atmosphere of the foggy New York State, we may be seeing Sonic’s time traveling adventure from the Sega CD coming to life.
If our hero hedgehog is in the dystopian Future realm, that leaves Sonic the Hedgehog 4 open for an interim leader. That in turns means there are two characters who’ll probably bicker over who gets to lead Team Sonic: Shadow and Knuckles (Idris Elba). What’s more, this potential thread leads to a great pitch for how things should progress from this point forward.
How Sonic The Hedgehog 3’s End Credits Teases Might Shape The Franchise
Ok, so hear me out: what if Sonic the Hedgehog 4’s 2027 release date is purposefully leaving room for something we don’t know about yet? Like, say, that hypothetical Knuckles & Shadow spinoff series Elba and Keanu Reeves are hyped to get off the ground?
We learn that somehow Sonic has disappeared, and our remaining team members keep the franchise going through a follow-up to Knuckles’ limited series run from earlier this year. It’d be the perfect tease towards the next movie’s plot, with the stage set for an even bigger conflict than what we’ve now seen. It'd also be a great opportunity to finally bring Sarah Paulson's rumored appearance as Rouge the Bat into play; because how do you pass that opportunity up?
If my Iron Man 2 analogy from the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review holds up, then we could see this developing cinematic universe working towards its Avengers style event. Of course, this is all speculation at this point, and the only thing we do know is that Amy Rose might drive Sonic crazy with her trademark crush.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is currently in theaters, and you should definitely see it if you’re a true blue Sega fan. As for the first two Sonic films, and the Knuckles spinoff series, head over to your nearest Paramount+ subscription portal and get sucked into the magic all over again. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go see the movie again, as while “Escape from the City” is credited on the soundtrack, I think I may have missed it appearing on the soundtrack.
