Keanu Reeves To Voice Shadow In Third ‘Sonic The Hedgehog’

Keanu Reeves (John Wick franchise) has been tapped to voice the role of Shadow in Paramount Pictures‘ Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Deadline can confirm.

Paramount had no comment, but Reeves joins an ensemble led by Ben Schwartz, who plays Sonic. In all three films, James Mardsen plays Sonic’s human ally, Sheriff Tom Wachowski, with Jim Carrey as the mad scientist Dr. Robotnik.

First introduced in the video game Sonic Adventure 2 in 2001, Shadow is a creation of Professor Gerald Robotnik, the grandfather of Sonic’s arch-nemesis, Dr. Robotnik. Possessing extraordinary speed, as well as Chaos Control, a power that allows him to manipulate space and time, he’s initially depicted as an antagonist to Sonic, though in the video games from Sega, he eventually becomes an ally.

The Sonic the Hedgehog franchise launched with a 2020 film of the same name, which grossed over $319M worldwide and was followed up with a hit sequel in 2022. Jeff Fowler has served as the director for all three films, with the newest to hit theaters on December 20.

While the plot of the third film is under wraps, the first Sonic watches as the anthrophomorphic hedgehog of the same name teams up with small-town sheriff Tom to evade capture by the government and Dr. Robotnik, who seeks to exploit Sonic’s powers. In the sequel, Sonic teams up with his friend Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) to stop Knuckes (Idris Elba) and Robotnik from obtaining the Chaos Emeralds to further their villainous schemes.

Most recently seen starring in John Wick: Chapter 4 and The Matrix: Resurrections, Reeves’ other upcoming projects include Aziz Ansari’s comedy Good Fortune, as well as the female-driven John Wick spin-off Ballerina — both for Lionsgate.

News of his casting in Sonic 3 was first reported by The John Campea Show.