The year’s almost over, and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is coming fast. Sonic and his friends will clash against their most dangerous foe yet: Shadow the Hedgehog. Shadow, also known as the Ultimate Life Form, is an iconic franchise character. Fans are overjoyed seeing this black-quilled speedster on the big screen. But right now, the movie’s confirmed runtime has grabbed their attention and got them thinking.
Looking Back at Sonic the Hedgehog
In the early 90s, the first Sonic the Hedgehog game appeared on the Sega Genesis. This classic platformer video game had a straightforward and popular concept. You steer the blue speedster through levels while dodging traps and enemies. If you finish stages quickly, you enter bonus levels to snag Chaos Emeralds. You also encounter the game’s antagonist, Dr. Ivo Robotnik, every third level.
Sonic the Hedgehog was a massive success, leading to Sega creating more games. Most new entries followed the fundamentals of the original, though some added unique gimmicks. Of course, changes occurred throughout the franchise, like Robotnik taking his Japanese name, Eggman. The most prominent alteration that happened was the addition of new characters. Miles ‘Tails’ Prowler, Knuckles the Echidna, and Amy Rose debuted as Sonic’s friends and teammates. However, the most notable character to appear was Shadow the Hedgehog, a rival to Sonic.
Shadow, The Ultimate Life Form
Eggman’s grandfather, Dr. Gerald Robotnik, created Shadow onboard the Space Colony ARK with alien DNA. His conception was an experiment to find the secret to immortality. This decision stemmed from Robotnik’s desire to save his sickly granddaughter, Maria. Shadow and Maria became close until Guardian Units of Nations (GUN) attacked the space colony. Robotnik is apprehended, and Maria, while trying to protect Shadow, is also killed. He attempted to escape but was captured and locked away in suspended animation.
The Sonic the Hedgehog game, Sonic Adventure 2, marked the first appearance of Shadow. Dr. Eggman locates and releases his grandfather’s creation to help him conquer the world. Shadow agrees to help, seeing this as a chance to avenge Maria. In the end, the black-furred anti-hero heroically sacrifices himself to save Earth. Shadow quickly became popular and continued to appear in many other games and media. It was only a matter of time before he appeared in the live-action movies.
The Sonic the Hedgehog Movies
Inspired by the iconic games, the live-action Sonic the Hedgehog movies tell a unique story. The first film follows the legendary speedster hiding out on Earth in solitude. After accidentally causing an incident, the U.S. government decides to investigate. Dr. Robotnik, played by the spectacular Jim Carrey, is sent to assess the situation. Sonic partners with Tom Wachowski, a small-town sheriff, to escape the genius madman. At the same time, the young speedster learns to tame his powers.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 occurs months later, and the titular character faces a new challenge. Robotnik returns more dangerous than before, accompanied by Knuckles, the last of the Echidna warriors. Luckily, Sonic also has help from his new two-tailed fox friend and sidekick, Tails. Both parties must race to locate and secure the all-powerful Master Emerald. At the climax, Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles team up to stop Robotnik from wreaking havoc. The movie also presented the world with a peek at the live-action version of Shadow.
An Intense Third Movie
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is still some time away from being released. The only thing to go off of is the official trailer. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are a family alongside Tom and his wife Maddie. The armed forces recruit them to combat the highly dangerous Shadow, voiced by Keanu Reeves. The rogue menace proves too much for them, and the trio must seek help. They decide to enlist their arch-nemesis, Dr. Robotnik, to stop Shadow. The trailer even features Carrey in a double role as Robotnik and his grandfather.
The plot seemingly focuses on Sonic, his friends, and Robotnik stopping Shadow. It is unclear what the goal of the primary antagonist is. Shadow is possibly seeking revenge for Maria’s death, like in Sonic Adventure 2. This revelation could also explain why Gerald Robotnik is around. Either way, Sonic fans are eager to watch this movie once it hits theaters.
A Confirmed Runtime for Sonic 3
Recently, a bit of news for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was released. The update was about the movie’s runtime being an hour and 49 minutes. This duration makes it longer than the first film but shorter than the second. With such a time length, the movie could contain much storytelling and action. The first live-action movie did it flawlessly, so there’s no reason the third cannot.
Final Thoughts
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 could be an intense movie, even in a relatively short time. The film could be successful if it remains faithful to its source. Reeves is the perfect actor to portray the edgy anti-hero with a dark past. It’ll also be interesting if Shadow can go super like Sonic. This action could lead to a future feature about the Chaos Emeralds. Check out the movie in theaters on December 20th to see the action unfold.
