Summary
- Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will stay true to Shadow's tragic backstory, adding emotional depth to the film.
- Shadow's backstory will play a significant role in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
- The trailer reveals a darker and more serious tone for Sonic 3, touching on Shadow's origins and emotional stakes.
Shadow the Hedgehog’s origin story has been confirmed ahead of characters in the Sonic universe. Designed to be the anti-Sonic in many ways, Shadow had a rather tragic backstory and was a perfect antagonist to the series’ hero before ing the good guys. After the success of the first Sonic the Hedgehog movie, it was only a matter of time before Shadow made his live-action debut.
Whereas 2020’s Sonic the Hedgehog focused primarily on the relationship between Sonic and Tom, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 brought in more recognizable characters and elements from the games. This includes Tails and Knuckles, both of whom were great adaptations of their game counterparts. Considering how well Sonic the Hedgehog 2 treated Knuckles – arguably better than some of the recent cartoons and games – I was excited to see what they were going to do with Shadow. Now, the first Sonic the Hedgehog 3 trailer has confirmed his origin story will not change.
Sonic The Hedgehog 3: Everything You Need To Know
Paramount turned Sonic's live-action adventures into a trilogy with Sonic The Hedgehog 3 - including introducing a key rival from the games.
Sonic The Hedgehog 3's Trailer Confirms Shadow's Full Backstory From The Games
Project Shadow, Maria, And Gerald Robotnik Are All Here
Between Maria visiting Shadow on his containment tube, the GUM attack at the ARK facility, and Jim Carrey playing Professor Gerald Robotnik, it is safe to say Sonic 3 is doing Shadow’s backstory from the games. In Sonic’s lore, Shadow was artificially created by Gerald Robotnik alongside the United Federation to be the ultimate weapon. Gerald Robotnik, who was Eggman’s grandfather, combined the DNA of a hedgehog with that of a sinister creature known as Black Doom. While the United Federation wanted a weapon, Professor Robotnik also wanted to find a cure for his dying granddaughter.
It seems that Sonic 3 is not afraid of being slightly darker and more serious than the previous installments.
Maria was the secret reason why Professor Robotnik was working at Project Shadow, and she became close to Shadow during her grandfather’s experiments. Given that he was being used as nothing but a test subject, Shadow’s only meaningful connection was with Maria. However, after GUN found out Robotnik had made a deal with Black Doom and started to fear the power of his creation, they invaded ARK and killed most of the researchers. Maria was killed during the attack, Project Shadow was shut down, and GUN eventually recovered Shadow’s escape pod. He was then put in hibernation.
Why Shadow The Hedgehog's Origin Story Is So Important In Sonic
Shadow’s Backstory Can Add Emotional Stakes To Sonic 3
Shadow the Hedgehog’s design and personality – especially compared to the rest of Team Sonic – would have been enough to make him a fan-favorite character. However, the fact he was given a rich, tragic backstory that you don’t always find in video games primarily aimed at younger audiences made Shadow even more interesting. Most Shadow appearances in games and other media have shown or at least referenced his backstory, which is why it remains so important. Additionally, Shadow the Hedgehog’s origins tie into other pieces of Sonic lore such as ARK, Eggman’s family, and the Black Arm.
It seems that Sonic 3 is not afraid of being slightly darker and more serious than the previous installments. The trailer even shows Maria’s death scene, with Shadow and Professor Eggman crying over her body as the GUN soldiers raid the ARK base. Shadow’s origins in the film can even mirror Sonic’s from the first installment, which would make their rivalry throughout the film even more interesting.
Sonic 3 Getting Shadow's Backstory Right Makes Me Even More Excited For Movie
Everything Points To A Great Shadow Adaptation In Sonic 3
After Sonic the Hedgehog 2 delivered what I considered to be the perfect take on Knuckles, I could not wait to see how they were going to handle Shadow. He was teased in the post-credits scene of Sonic 2, which referenced Project Shadow and offered a first look at the character. Shadow making his live-action debut in Sonic 3 got even more exciting after Keanu Reeves was cast in the role, making an old fan wish come true. Sonic 3’s trailer now confirms that not only are they getting Shadow’s backstory right, but the character looks and sounds great.
Keanu Reeves has been referenced twice in the live-action Sonic universe, with both Sonic and Wade being fans of Speed.
Shadow even does an Akira slide in the Sonic 3 trailer, perfectly encapsulating how cool his character can be. That said, between all the cool visuals and the way he’s the opposite of Sonic at first, the most important thing about a Shadow adaptation is arguably getting his origin story right. Shadow’s connection to Maria and the fact she wanted him to be good to the people of Earth can make for a very emotional arc in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which has now all the tools to be the best entry in the franchise.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
- Release Date
- December 20, 2024
- Runtime
- 110 minutes
- Director
- Jeff Fowler
Cast
Sonic (voice)
Dr. Robotnik / Gerald Robotnik
WHERE TO WATCH
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.
- Writers
- Josh Miller, Patrick Casey, John Whittington
- Franchise(s)
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Studio(s)
- Sega Sammy Group, Original Film, Marza Animation Planet, Blur Studio
- Distributor(s)
- Paramount Pictures
- Main Genre
- Adventure
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