Sonic 3 Movie's Shadow Voice Actor Confirmed to Be Keanu Reeves

The highly anticipated Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie has officially confirmed that Keanu Reeves will lend his voice to the iconic anti-hero, Shadow the Hedgehog. Read on for all the details on this exciting casting announcement and what it means for the upcoming film.

Keanu Reeves Officially Confirmed as the Voice of Shadow in Sonic the Hedgehog 3

First Official Trailer Possibly Arriving Next Week!

The news broke via a playful teaser on the official Sonic movie TikTok account. The video featured a cryptic message, "ForeSHADOWing," followed by Sonic crossing his fingers and a clip of a young Keanu Reeves from Speed. Sonic’s enthusiastic exclamation, "Yes! Keanu, you are a national treasure!" sealed the deal.

Rumors of Reeves' involvement had circulated for months. Shadow's introduction was subtly teased in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, showing him cryogenically frozen, setting the stage for a potential showdown with Sonic in the third installment. Known for his complex character and ambiguous allegiances, Shadow promises exciting conflict and collaboration with Sonic. A full trailer, potentially releasing as early as next week, is expected to reveal more about their dynamic.

Ben Schwartz, the voice of Sonic, expressed his excitement about Shadow's introduction in a previous interview with Screen Rant, stating, "I think fans are going to be excited and I think fans understand how much we care about them. We changed the film from the response to the first trailer, which I think was the very right move. I think fans will feel like they're being taken care of, I hope, because we always do it for them, and it hasn’t failed yet."

Returning alongside Keanu Reeves are Jim Carrey as Doctor "Eggman" Robotnik, Colleen O'Shaughnessey as Tails, and Idris Elba as Knuckles. The film also welcomes actress Krysten Ritter in a currently unannounced role.

The success of the Sonic film franchise has significantly impacted the broader Sonic brand. In a 2022 interview with VGC, Sonic Team's Takashi Iizuka acknowledged the challenge of balancing the expectations of dedicated fans with the needs of a wider audience, stating, "Because of the success of the movies, we’re finding that we’re reaching into this wider audience of people who maybe never played the game before, or don’t play them that much. It’s this wider group of fans who we need to start now making content for."

With Sonic the Hedgehog 3 set for release on December 20, fans won't have long to wait before witnessing the explosive clash between Sonic and Shadow, and experiencing the rest of the action-packed adventure.