Keanu Reeves joins 'Sonic the Hedgehog 3' as Shadow

Keanu Reeves, renowned for his roles in franchises like "John Wick," is set to lend his voice to the character Shadow in the latest installment of the Sonic movie series.r

Paramount Pictures has confirmed the upcoming release of "Sonic the Hedgehog 3," set to hit theaters on December 20th.

The news follows a well-received presentation at CinemaCon by Paramount last week, where attendees were treated to a first look at "Sonic 3." Highlights included insights into the storyline, revealing that Jim Carrey's Dr. Robotnik undergoes a transformative journey after the events of "Sonic 2," with Shadow the Hedgehog playing a pivotal role. Introduced in the 2001 game "Sonic Adventure 2," Shadow is portrayed as a darker, edgier counterpart to Sonic, embodying similar powers.

Paramount's Sonic movie franchise has been a box office success story, beginning with 2020's "Sonic the Hedgehog," which earned USD 319 million globally. The sequel, "Sonic 2," released in 2022, continued the momentum with a global gross of USD 404 million. Director Jeff Fowler remains at the helm of the series, with Ben Schwartz voicing Sonic alongside James Marsden as Sonic's human ally, Tom Wachowski.

Keanu Reeves continues his streak in blockbuster roles, most recently starring in "John Wick: Chapter 4" and reprising his iconic character Neo in "The Matrix: Resurrections" (2021). Upcoming projects for Reeves include a role in Aziz Ansari's "Good Fortune" as a guardian angel, and a cameo appearance in "John Wick Presents: Ballerina," a spinoff featuring Ana De Armas.