Summary:
- Paramount officially cast John Wick star Keanu Reeves to voice Shadow, a new villain in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
- This decision by Paramount was actually predicted two years ago in a fan-made video.
- Krysten Ritter is also rumored to voice an unknown character in the upcoming movie.
As we already reported, Keanu Reeves is set to lend his voice to the edgy Shadow, the popular anti-Sonic in the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3, leaving fans absolutely flabbergasted. Needless to say, this shocking decision was met with positive reactions from fans, as people have long waited for another Keanu Reeves voice-acting masterclass after his outing in 2022’s Justice League Pets.
However, did you know that this casting choice by Paramount was actually predicted in a fan-made video way back in April 2022? This video, which has recently regained popularity on social media, cleverly pairs animations of Shadow the Hedgehog with Reeves’ distinctive voice.
What if ‘Keanu Reeves’ voiced Shadow the Hedgehog? pic.twitter.com/4e1eGgCfxC
— Jordan (PoX) (@SonicpoX) April 7, 2022
Originally posted on X by @SonicpoX, the clip posed the question, “What if ‘Keanu Reeves voiced Shadow the Hedgehog?” Now, with the casting confirmed, fans are marveling at the predictive prowess of this post, with comments ranging from excitement to disbelief at the accuracy, claiming the prediction as “nothing short of magical.”
The reveal of Reeves joining the cast was made on April 15, adding him to an already impressive lineup that includes Ben Schwartz as Sonic, Colleen O’Shaughnessey as Tails, and Idris Elba as Knuckles. James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, and Jim Carrey are also reprising their live-action roles in the movie, with the latter coming out of retirement to act as Dr. Robotnik once again.
Rumors are also swirling about Krysten Ritter potentially voicing Rouge the Bat, another Sonic-like character, though confirmation is still pending. Director Jeff Fowler is at the helm once again, promising an ambitious expansion of the Sonic universe.
Speaking with Paste, executive producer Toby Ascher has expressed enthusiasm for developing the third movie: “We got really excited about the idea of expanding our characters in our world into television, specifically, because it gives us a platform to really do character studies.”
“We knew that, with Shadow coming into Sonic 3 and some of the bigger things that we want to do, the Sonic franchise on the movie side is going to be these Avengers-level events,” he added.
Well, it seems like Keanu Reeves will have a lot to do as the new villain of the show.
The much-anticipated threequel is slated for release on December 20, 2024. Meanwhile, fans can catch up with the franchise, as the first two Sonic the Hedgehog movies are available on Paramount+.
