While historically video game movies have failed to impress, the subgenre has been doing quite well in recent years. A few hits have arrived including Sonic the Hedgehog, which is one of the best video game movies in recent memory. It’s since grown into a full-blown franchise, including the Knuckles series which as released for those with a Paramount+ subscription. The next upcoming video game movie is Sonic 3, and director Jeff Fowler had a very specific Keanu Reeves character in mind when he cast the action star to play Shadow.
What we know about Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is limited, but fans are excited that the villainous Shadow will be joining the fray in the blockbuster. Sonic 3‘s cast list is buoyed by the inclusion of Keanu, and it turns out that his role was influenced by one of Reeves’ most iconic roles: John Wick. As director Jeff Fowler revealed in an upcoming issue of SFX Magazine:
I’d be lying if I didn’t say there was just an obvious corollary between his performance in the John Wick films and the vibe we’re trying to channel for Shadow. Because Shadow, from a tonal standpoint, is an anti-hero, he’s got a little edginess to him. It felt like the perfect fit for Keanu. He gave such a great performance. He knew what we were after, and was excited about playing the character and coming into our world.
Honestly, can you blame him? John Wick is one of the most badass characters in film history, one that Keanu Reeves has become synonymous with in the years since he debuted that killer title character. And since Shadow is a bit of a brooding bad boy himself, the correlation makes a great deal of sense. Although now I really wish Sonic 3 had arrived already.
The John Wick franchise is kickstarted by the title character’s dog being killed, which ends up inspiring Keanu Reeves’ character to return to his life as a brutal hitman. So despite how many people he kills through the franchise, the audience is still very much on his side.
While Shadow’s backstory in the forthcoming threequel hasn’t been confirmed, the trailers for Sonic 3 seem to hint that his origin from the video games is being faithfully adapted for film. In the games, his companion Maria is killed before his eyes, inspiring him to take up villainy. Fans are def hyped about this potentially being brought to life in film, even though it means the Sonic movie will kill off a kid.
Luckily the wait is nearly over. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will hit theaters on December 20, 2024. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.