#Keanu Reeves Cast as Shadow in Sonic the Hedgehog 3

According to The Hollywood Reporter and The John Campea Show, John Wick star Keanu Reeves will be joining the cast of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 as the voice of Shadow. The new casting comes roughly a week after the end of CinemaCon, where Paramount teased a few scenes from the upcoming film, which will premiere on December 20, 2024. 

Fellow Canadian actor Hayden Christensen was previously rumored to be cast as Shadow for the third live-action film adaptation of the Sonic the Hedgehog games. In a segment from his show below, film critic and YouTuber John Campea discussed how he heard about Reeve’s casting at an industry afterparty. 

The Hollywood Reporter also confirmed Reeves’ casting through its own multiple sources. 

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will also reportedly see antagonist Dr. Robotnik in a depressed state that he immediately gets out of, once he realizes he has created Shadow the Hedgehog. The character is an anti-hero rival to Sonic that was first introduced in the 2001 game Sonic Adventure 2. 

The first film, Sonic the Hedgehog, was released in 2020 and grossed over US$319 million globally, while 2022’s Sonic the Hedgehog 2 grossed US$404 million globally. 

Jeff Fowler has directed all three installments so far, which features Ben Schwartz as Sonic the Hedgehog, James Mardsen as Tom Wachowski, and Tika Sumpter as Maddie Wachowski. Colleen O’Shaughnessey also reprised her role as Miles “Tails” Prower in the second film, with Idris Elba joining as Knuckles the Echidna. 

Source: The Hollywood Reporter, The John Campea Show