Video game movies aren’t typically anything to write home about, and rarely capture the magic of the fan-favorite games on which they are based. But, from time to time there are exceptions to the rule, and one of most recent additions to that category is 2020’s Sonic the Hedgehog. The hilarious, fun, and faithful adaptation of Sega’s answer to Mario was, by all accounts, a major success, and so it should come as no surprise that a sequel was not far behind.
With Sonic mania (the craze and not the amazing 2017 video game) going into overdrive, you’ll be happy to hear that not only is Sonic the Hedgehog 2 actually happening, but its return is right around the corner. In no time at all we’ll all be crowding theaters to watch Ben Schwartz’s Sonic take on Jim Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik once more, but this time some familiar faces are on both sides of the fight. Here is everything we know about the return of Sonic.
The Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Release Date Is Set For April 8, 2022
The first Sonic the Hedgehog movie was released in early 2020, so one would assume that its sequel wouldn’t land for a few years, even before a global pandemic brought the film industry to a screeching halt just as the video game adaptation sped into theaters. Fans of the Sega mega-hit won’t have to wait all that long as Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is set to open in theaters on April 8, 2022. Paramount Pictures made the announcement in February 2021 as a way to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the first film in the fledgling franchise that became one of the best stories, following a previous controversy centered on Sonic’s original character design.
The Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Cast Will Once Again Be Led By Ben Schwartz, Jim Carrey, And James Marsden
No surprise here, but the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 cast will see the return of all the major characters who audiences came to know and love when the first film was released in 2020. Returning the voice Sonic himself is Ben Schwartz, who has gone on the records saying he’s read the script and that he thinks the movie is going to be great. Jim Carrey will be there to bring Sonic’s longtime nemesis Dr. Robotnik to the big screen once again, and looks to be as frightening and over-the-top as ever. James Marsden will be returning to portray Tom Wachowski, the sheriff of Green Hills, Montana, who became Sonic’s human companion in the first round adventures. Also returning are Tika Sumpter as Tom’s wife, Maddie, Adam Pally as Wade Whipple, and Natasha Rothwell as Rachel, Maddie’s older sister. Shemar Moore also joins the cast in an undisclosed role.
Miles ‘Tails’ Prower And Knuckles The Echidna Will Both Be In Sonic The Hedgehog 2
Longtime Sonic fans who thought they would never see Miles “Tails” Prower show up in the movies probably never felt so good to be wrong when the iconic multi-tailed fox showed up in the Sonic the Hedgehog ending, opening the door for more adventures in the future. But, Sonic isn’t the only character getting some backup when Sonic the Hedgehog 2 lands in theaters in April 2022, as Dr. Robotnik will have a little help from one of Sonic’s biggest frenemies, Knuckles the Echidna. The flashy red character, along with Tails, was spotted on set (or at least a prop stand-in) back in April 2021 while the movie was in production.
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Will See The Iconic Character Take On A Returning Dr. Robotnik
When Sonic the Hedgehog 2 opens, it will pick up with the titular hero enjoying a relatively peaceful and happy life with the Wachowskis in Green Hills, but one that has him wanting a little more speed and adventure. Sonic gets just that when Tom and Maddie leave on vacation, but the fun and games are short-lived as Dr. Robotnik makes his marvelous return from the Mushroom Planet from the first movie. This time, however, Dr. Robotnik isn’t trying to harness Sonic’s power. Instead, he’s come back with Knuckles the Echidna to obtain a powerful emerald (a chaos emerald?) that’s capable of quite a lot of destruction.
Principal Photography On Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Has Already Been Completed
With its April 2022 release date quickly approaching, production on Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has been completed, having wrapped the second and final portion of principal photography in June 2021. Principal photography kicked off in March 2021 with two months of shooting in Vancouver, before things shifted over to Hawaii not long after. Even though the live-action portion of the film looks to be in the bag, there are still many months of detailed CGI and post-production work ahead for director Jeff Fowler and the rest of the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 crew.
The Iconic Mushroom Hill Zone From Sonic And Knuckles Could Play Into Sonic The Hedgehog
When director Jeff Fowler announced the Vancouver portion of production on Sonic the Hedgehog 2 had been completed in May 2021 he did so with a rather peculiar image on Twitter with a certain location on full display: a blue screen and multiple mushrooms behind him. Now, we have already seen the Mushroom Planet from the Sonic the Hedgehog ending, but the image of the director sitting in front of more than a dozen otherworldly mushrooms leads you to believe we could very well see the iconic Mushroom Hill Zone from the 1994 game Sonic and Knuckles. We only got a tease of the location in 2020, so 2022 could mean much, much more from the alien planet that could possibly be in a different dimension.
The Presence Of The Chaos Emeralds Could Open The Door For The Debut Of Super Sonic
Anyone who has played the Sonic games over the years knows that the Chaos Emeralds can do some pretty remarkable things, most notably turn Sonic into Super Sonic. When in possession of all the emeralds, Super Sonic is extremely fast, can fly, and is even invulnerable, pretty much making him one of the strongest video game characters of all time. With the introduction of an emerald in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, we could very well see Super Sonic either in the sequel or at least later on in the franchise. Screenwriter Pat Casey had previously stated that despite there being challenges with pulling it off, everyone involved was well aware of Super Sonic.
There are still a few things we don’t yet know about Sonic the Hedgehog 2, specifically if fans will get their wish and see Dwayne Johnson voice Knuckles, but all things will be worked out in due time. In the meantime, get all caught up on all the 2022 movie release dates.
