Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024)
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Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles must team up to stop a vengeful Shadow the Hedgehog and the mad scientists who seek to unleash a devastating weapon.
The story
In 2024, a vengeful Shadow the Hedgehog is released from a G.U.N. prison facility. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are recruited by G.U.N. Director Rockwell to apprehend him in Tokyo. However, the mission is complicated when Shadow overpowers them and escapes. The team then learns of Shadow's tragic past and the involvement of the mad scientist Dr. Ivo Robotnik. As the threat escalates, Team Sonic must navigate a dangerous alliance and a race against time to stop Shadow and the Robotniks from utilizing a powerful weapon that could devastate the world.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The story begins in 1974, where Shadow the Hedgehog is experimented on by Gerald Robotnik. After a tragic accident kills Gerald's granddaughter, Maria, Shadow is placed in suspended animation. In 2024, Shadow is released and seeks revenge. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are tasked by G.U.N. to stop him in Tokyo. During the pursuit, they encounter Dr. Ivo Robotnik, who joins forces with Gerald to activate the Eclipse Cannon, a weapon capable of destroying any location on Earth. After a series of battles and a tense alliance with Ivo's assistant, Agent Stone, the heroes must infiltrate G.U.N. headquarters. A confrontation occurs where Sonic becomes superpowered using the Chaos Emeralds to face Shadow. Ultimately, Sonic convinces Shadow to stop the cannon by appealing to their shared sense of loss. The heroes successfully stop the weapon, though it causes collateral damage to the moon. In a final act of sacrifice, Ivo and Shadow are lost while moving the core away from Earth. The film ends with Sonic reconciling with his friends and a post-credits scene featuring Amy Rose.
- First release year
- 2024
- Runtime (minutes)
- 110
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Jeff Fowler
- Writers
- Pat Casey · screenplay; Josh Miller · screenplay; John Whittington · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Jim Carrey · Dr. Ivo Robotnik, Prof. Gerald Robotnik; Ben Schwartz · Sonic the Hedgehog; Lee Majdoub · Agent Stone; Natasha Rothwell · Rachel; Adam Pally · Wade Whipple; Shemar Moore · Randall Handel
- Genres
- action-adventure; comedy
- Themes
- revenge; family; sacrifice
- Tone and mood
- dark; action-packed; humorous
- Setting
- Various locations including Green Hills, Montana; Tokyo, Japan; and London, England.
- Premise and plot tags
- video game adaptation; superhero; multiverse
- Source material / true-story basis
- Sonic video game series
- Franchise connections
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics, particularly praising the performances of Jim Carrey and Keanu Reeves. It was a box office success, becoming the highest-grossing film in the franchise.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 56 · scale: 100 · review count: 28; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F; PostTrak · score: 89% · scale: percentage
- Awards and nominations
- Favorite Villain · Kids' Choice Awards · 2025 · Win
- Production trivia
- The film incorporates the song 'Live & Learn' from Sonic Adventure 2.; The production used a 'speedboat vendor' strategy, splitting animation across six different studios.; The film's marketing included a reference to the 'Shadow loves Latinas' TikTok meme.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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