Summary
IfSonic the Hedgehog 3wants to succeed, it needs to change the franchise formula in a big way to avoid a major disappointment. The first two live-actionSonic the Hedgehogmovies have been received well by fans of the SEGA video game franchise, with it being mostly faithful to the elements that matter. However, theSonic the Hedgehogmovies have had a problem with balancing their fairly large casts, and if the upcoming third film wants to be better than its predecessors, thenSonic the Hedgehog 3’s castneeds to try something new that the movies haven’t yet done.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3is one of the most exciting video game movies of 2024, with it rounding out the first live-actionSonic the Hedgehogtrilogy. After building up to the film with two movies and aspinoffKnucklesTV show,Sonic the Hedgehog 3will finally seeSonic, Tails, and Knuckles go up against one of the most iconic video game villains: Shadow the Hedgehog. While this is exciting, it is expected thatSonic the Hedgehog 3will fall into some of the same pitfalls of its predecessors, something the movie really needs to fix.
8 Sonic Movies & TV Shows We Want To See After Sonic The Hedgehog 3
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 could set up several more spin-off movies and TV shows, depending on what characters are introduced and their stories.
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Needs To Be A Proper Ensemble Movie, Not A Sonic Solo Story
Giving Each Character Equal Focus
IfSonic the Hedgehog 3wants to succeed, then it needs to be a proper ensemble movie rather than a Sonic solo story. The firstSonic the Hedgehogwas undoubtedly a solo story, with the titular blue blur being the only video game protagonist in the film.Sonic the Hedgehog 2was also mostly centered on Sonic, with Tails being sidelined through most of the film and Knuckles acting as a secondary antagonist turned secondary protagonist after his ally with Dr. Robotnik ended. On top of that, the film has also had to focus onSonic the Hedgehog’s controversial human characters.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3needs to address this by giving Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles equal focus,treating them as an ensemble cast rather than as a protagonist and two supporting characters.Sonic the Hedgehog 2didn’t have much for Tails to do, and he didn’t cause Sonic to grow in any way, making him kind of pointless. Since Knuckles doesn’t have a huge role in the Shadow story, some fear that the same thing may happen to him. Thus, they all need to go on a journey together inSonic the Hedgehog 3, both literally and in their character arcs.
Sonic 3’s Robotnik Story Needs To Pay Off 1 Secret Weapon From The First Movie
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is going to be focused on Shadow, but Robotnik’s story still needs to pay off a secret weapon introduced in the first movie.
Sidelining Tails Or Knuckles Will Be Disappointing After Sonic The Hedgehog 2
It Would Be The Movie’s Biggest Crime
Tails was already sidelined inSonic the Hedgehog 2, but Knuckles became a pretty interesting character throughout the movie and his Paramount+ spinoff series. Because of this, giving Tails and Knuckles smaller roles inSonic the Hedgehog 3would be immensely disappointing. Tails fans have been waiting for the character to have a major presence in the movies for years now, so another movie of him mostly standing over Sonic’s shoulder would be a shame considering there are so many interesting things to do with him.
Similarly,Knuckles fans would hate to see the character just be there to punch things for Sonic,especially after the development that he received in theKnucklesspinoff series. While Sonic and Shadow are rivals, there is plenty to do with Tails and Knuckles in a movie about this rivalry. If Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles don’t get equal focus, it will cause viewers to question why Tails and Knuckles are even there. While the franchise is named after Sonic, he shouldn’t be any more important than his two anthropomorphic friends.
I Am Not Prepared For THAT Shadow Scene In Sonic The Hedgehog 3
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 has plenty of exciting moments to look forward to, but there is one shocking upcoming Shadow scene that I am not ready for.
Sonic The Hedgehog 3’s Team Movie Focus Helps Shadow Too
Allowing For More Shadow Screentime
MakingSonic the Hedgehog 3an ensemble film isn’t just good for the three main characters, as the team structure helps Shadow too. If the movie doesn’t have to dedicate separate scenes to Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, then that means thatthere is more room to develop Shadow the Hedgehog, fleshing him out into an even more complex antihero.
Based on hisSonic Adventure 2origin story, Shadow the Hedgehogwill require a lot of development at the beginning ofSonic the Hedgehog 3, meaning that the rest of the characters may be fighting for space in the film. Because of this, it only makes sense to make Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles share the spotlight, with almost every scene inSonic the Hedgehog 3either focusing on the trio or on Shadow.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Cast
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 reunites Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails as they face a formidable new adversary, Shadow. With Shadow’s unprecedented powers posing a significant threat, Team Sonic seeks an unexpected alliance to thwart his plans and safeguard the planet.
