Sonic the Hedgehog 3 trailer: Shadow, Maria revealed

Paramount has released the first trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog 3, confirming a cavalcade of rumours surrounding the film. As revealed, this is set to be a major showcase for Shadow the Hedgehog, who will serve as the primary antagonist. He’ll be voiced by iconic actor Keanu Reeves, and it does appear his story will closely align with the video game source material.

A brief snippet in the new trailer reveals the appearance of Maria Robotnik, for one thing, hinting about the tragedies to come. Gerald Robotnik, father of Ivo Robotnik, also makes an appearance in the trailer (both played by Jim Carrey) suggesting Maria and her tale will be essential to the evolution of Shadow.

Elsewhere in the first trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog 3, there’s plenty of other new details to analyse. As a lovely nod, it appears one scene in the film is set in a Chao-themed restaurant, complete with giant Chao performers. There’s also a nod to Akira – and while a bit overdone, Shadow does pull off the classic bike slide.

The trailer is also littered with all manner of gags, suggesting that while the film will be slightly darker, thanks to the presence of edgelord Shadow, it will still retain the silly humour of the first two films. The tone seems to be balanced well here, so there’s high hopes the movie will do the same.

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Read: Sonic X Shadow Generations preview – Into the Shadowverse

Beyond spotlighting Shadow’s tale, the trailer has also confirmed Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles will form the main trio of this film, each using their abilities to take down Shadow. In teasers that tread into plot-spoiling territory, it’s also confirmed that Ivo Robotnik will return to team up with Sonic the Hedgehog, as Shadow’s power proves too great for he and his friends to handle.

Based on this early trailer, there’s plenty of hope for the Sonic the Hedgehog film franchise as it enters a new era. Against all odds, this series has evolved to become something much bigger than was first assumed, thanks to its strong sense of heart, and a clear love for the Sonic games.

On social media, hype for the film is incredibly high, and many have lovingly compared this trailer to the original “Ugly Sonic” starring first look at Sonic the Hedgehog. The franchise has certainly come a long way since then, and there’s now plenty of reasons to look forward to this sequel.

Just don’t think too hard about the fact that Keanu Reeves is one of Sonic’s favourite actors in canon, and having him voice Shadow presents a rather odd paradox. Wait – it’s too late. I’m thinking too deeply about it again.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is set to launch in cinemas from 20 December 2024.