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Sonic the Hedgehog 4 (film)

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Sonic the Hedgehog 4
Official logo
Directed byJeff Fowler
Based on
Sonic the Hedgehog
by Sega[a]
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyBrandon Trost
Edited byAl LeVine[3]
Production
company
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
  • March 19, 2027 (2027-03-19)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is an upcoming American action-adventure comedy film based on the Sonic video game series. It is directed by Jeff Fowler. Jim Carrey, Ben Schwartz, Idris Elba, Keanu Reeves, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Colleen O'Shaughnessey, and Lee Majdoub reprise their roles, with Kristen Bell joining the voice cast as Amy Rose. Ben Kingsley, Matt Berry, Nick Offerman, and Richard Ayoade are cast in undisclosed roles.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 was reported to be in development in December 2024, just before the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Fowler and the producers were confirmed to return soon after. Principal photography began in March 2026 and wrapped in May. The cast was confirmed in March 2026, alongside the film's title announcement. The film will draw elements from the video game Sonic CD (1993).

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is scheduled for release by Paramount Pictures in the United States on March 19, 2027.

Cast

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Metal Sonic will appear in the film.[4] It is currently unknown whether he will be voiced or be a non-speaking character, as is the case in most of his appearances in other Sonic media.[4][5]

Voice

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Additionally, Ben Kingsley and Nick Offerman will appear in undisclosed voice roles.[7]

Live-action

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Matt Berry and Richard Ayoade will additionally appear in undisclosed roles.[7]

Production

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Development

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In September 2024, producer Toby Ascher stated that additional installments were planned for the Sonic the Hedgehog film series.[8] In November 2024, it was revealed by director Jeff Fowler that Sonic the Hedgehog 3 would tease new characters to appear in a fourth film.[9] Sonic the Hedgehog 3's mid-credits scene features Amy Rose saving Sonic by smashing an army of Metal Sonics.[10] According to writers Pat Casey and Josh Miller, Amy had been considered for a larger role in the film, but was excluded so that the script could focus on Shadow the Hedgehog.[11] In December 2024, the fourth film was officially greenlit.[12] Fowler returned to direct, and Toku Nakahara, as well as Neal H. Moritz and Toby Ascher of Original Film returned to produce.[13][6]

Later in December 2024, Casey and Miller expressed interest in taking Sonic on adventures to worlds beyond Earth.[14][15] In January 2025, concept art for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was released online by Tacit Sign Studio, including art depicting Amy and Metal Sonic in scenes either not present or significantly different in the final film.[16][17] Though the art was later removed, its release fueled fan theories that Sonic the Hedgehog 4 would take inspiration from Sonic CD, which was the debut of both Amy and Metal Sonic in the games.[17][18][19] In response to the speculation, Miller said it could not be openly discussed at that time, as those elements may potentially appear in future films.[20] Fowler acknowledged the connection to CD, saying that their simultaneous introduction was intended to "honor that chronology", but stated that the film's story would not be solely based on CD.[5]

Casting

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Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba, and Jim Carrey had expressed interest in reprising their roles from previous installments.[21][22] In February 2026, Kristen Bell was cast as the voice of Amy, with Ben Schwartz returning to reprise his role as Sonic.[13] In March, journalist Jeff Sneider indicated that Ben Kingsley was cast in "a key role".[23] The rest of the cast was revealed later that month,[7] including Nick Offerman in the voice cast; Offerman and Bell had previously appeared alongside Schwartz in the television series Parks and Recreation.[24] Additionally, Matt Berry and Richard Ayoade had also joined the cast in undisclosed roles.[7]

Fowler stated in a January 2025 interview that someone could be cast as the voice of Metal Sonic, saying that although the character does not speak in most appearances, the possibility of the film version of the character having a voice was likely to be raised during the film's scripting process.[5]

Filming and voice recording

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Principal photography began on March 2, 2026, with Fowler announcing it on social media by a picture of him holding Amy's hammer.[4] Filming occurred at Shinfield Studios in Berkshire.[25] Filming wrapped on May 15, 2026, as announced through Instagram alongside a photo of Fowler next to a Metal Sonic prop.[26] Brandon Trost served as the film's cinematographer.[27] On May 27, 2026, Ben Schwartz posted a photo of himself with Fowler and the film's editor Al LeVine in a vocal recording booth, confirming that voice recording for the film had commenced.[3] On June 3, 2026, Kristen Bell uploaded to Instagram a photo of her in a recording studio, about to record her voice lines as Amy.[28]

Release

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Theatrical

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Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is scheduled to be released in the United States on March 19, 2027 by Paramount Pictures.[29]

Marketing

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A teaser trailer was released on March 19, 2026, featuring Jim Carrey reprising his role as Dr. Ivo Robotnik.[30] Carrey's return was considered particularly notable, given his appearance at the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma that sparked conspiracies of cloning or impersonation and the fact that Carrey variously mentioned retirement in the past.[30][31] The Chaos Emeralds in the teaser[32] and the use of the "Sonic Boom" theme from Sonic CD were also subjects of commentary.[30][31] Footage from the film featuring Carrey was showcased at CinemaCon in April 2026 and more footage was privately shown at CineEurope in June 2026.[33][34]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog was developed by Sonic Team, published by Sega, directed and programmed by Yuji Naka, designed by Hirokazu Yasuhara, and illustrated by Naoto Ohshima.[1][2]

References

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  1. ↑ Ocbazghi, Emmanuel; Snyder, Chris (February 13, 2020). "The bizarre evolution of Sonic the Hedgehog". Business Insider. Axel Springer SE. Archived from the original on February 14, 2020. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  2. ↑ Power, Ed (February 16, 2020). "How Sega conquered the video games industry – and then threw it all away". The Independent. Archived from the original on February 17, 2020. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  3. 1 2 Watson, Fay (May 28, 2026). "Sonic the Hedgehog star says voice recording has officially begun in an exciting Sonic 4 production update". Total Film. Future plc. Archived from the original on May 29, 2026. Retrieved May 30, 2026 – via GamesRadar+.
  4. 1 2 3 Yin-Poole, Wesley (March 2, 2026). "Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Movie Teaser Image Offers First Look at Amy's Hammer". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on March 2, 2026. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 McWhertor, Michael (January 20, 2025). "Sonic the Hedgehog 3 director teases plans for Metal Sonic, Amy Rose in Sonic 4". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on January 30, 2025. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 Kroll, Justin (February 18, 2026). "Kristen Bell Joins Sonic The Hedgehog 4 At Paramount". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on February 18, 2026. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Jackson, Angelique (March 19, 2026). "Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Full Cast Revealed: Keanu Reeves and Idris Elba Returning Alongside Newcomers Ben Kingsley, Nick Offerman and More". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on March 19, 2026. Retrieved March 19, 2026.
  8. ↑ Deschamps, Marc (September 24, 2024). "Sonic 3 Producer Teases More Movies: "I Don't See Us Slowing Down"". ComicBook.com. Savage Ventures. Archived from the original on September 24, 2024. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  9. ↑ Romano, Nick (November 13, 2024). "How Sonic 3 went bigger with Shadow's origin story and 2 Jim Carreys: 'Everything is pumped up' (exclusive)". Entertainment Weekly. Dotdash Meredith. Archived from the original on November 13, 2024. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  10. ↑ Sandwell, Ian (December 21, 2024). "Sonic the Hedgehog 3 credit scenes explained: How many are there?". Digital Spy. Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on December 21, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  11. ↑ Murray, Emily (December 23, 2024). "Sonic 3 writers say that Amy Rose nearly appeared in the movie rather than just the post-credits, revealing that they have a "great plan" for her future". Total Film. Future plc. Archived from the original on January 10, 2025. Retrieved January 18, 2025 – via GamesRadar+.
  12. ↑ Lang, Brent (December 19, 2024). "Sonic the Hedgehog 4 in the Works for 2027 Release (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on December 21, 2024. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  13. 1 2 Rubin, Rebecca (February 18, 2026). "Kristen Bell Joins 'Sonic the Hedgehog 4' as Amy Rose". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on February 18, 2026. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  14. ↑ Brooks, Nicholas (December 12, 2024). "'We Can Solve That Problem': Sonic 3 Writers Look Back at Sonic 1's Issues". Comic Book Resources. Valnet. Archived from the original on December 29, 2024. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  15. ↑ Blevins, Adam (January 2, 2025). ""We Know There Are Other Worlds": Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Could Be Headed for Outer Space". Collider. Valnet. Archived from the original on July 6, 2025. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  16. ↑ Shepard, Kenneth (January 21, 2025). "New Sonic 3 Concept Art May Clear Up That Confusing Post-Credits Scene". Kotaku. G/O Media. Archived from the original on February 18, 2026. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  17. 1 2 Russell, Bradley (January 21, 2025). "New Sonic 3 concept art may have spoiled what Metal Sonic will get up to next in Sonic 4 – and it could involve Eggman and time travel". Total Film. Future plc. Archived from the original on January 21, 2026. Retrieved January 24, 2025 – via GamesRadar+.
  18. ↑ McPherson, Chris (January 21, 2025). "Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Concept Art Reveals Potential Path for Future Films". Collider. Valnet. Archived from the original on December 8, 2025. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  19. ↑ Nightingale, Ed (January 20, 2025). "Sonic the Hedgehog 3 film concept art reveals cut content and secret characters". Eurogamer. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on November 16, 2025. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  20. ↑ Reyes, Mike (January 24, 2025). "After Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Concept Art Hit The Internet, I Think My Theory On Sonic 4's Story Just Became A Lot Stronger". CinemaBlend. Future plc. Archived from the original on September 6, 2025. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  21. ↑ Cavanaugh, Patrick (December 10, 2024). "Keanu Reeves & Idris Elba Want Shadow & Knuckles TV Spinoff (and Even Pitch a Title)". ComicBook.com. Savage Ventures. Archived from the original on December 14, 2024. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  22. ↑ Lewis, Claire (January 3, 2025). "Jim Carrey Says He's Down To Return For Sonic 4". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on January 4, 2025. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  23. ↑ Sneider, Jeff (March 2, 2026). "Paramount-WB Merger: Everybody Wins... Except for the Little Guy! Plus, a Cool Sonic the Hedgehog Scoop". The InSneider. Archived from the original on March 4, 2026. Retrieved March 4, 2026. – via Agar, Chris (March 3, 2026). "Sonic 4 Reportedly Casts Legendary Actor in Key Role (& Fans Have Ideas on Who They're Playing)". ComicBook.com. Savage Ventures. Archived from the original on March 4, 2026. Retrieved March 4, 2026.
  24. ↑ Morrow, Brendan (March 19, 2026). "Sonic the Hedgehog 4 will be a Parks and Recreation reunion". USA Today. USA Today Co. Archived from the original on March 26, 2026. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
  25. ↑ Johnson, Helen (February 5, 2026). "Industry update 2026 and what productions are starting up". www.filmbase.uk. Archived from the original on February 22, 2026. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  26. ↑ McPherson, Chris (May 15, 2026). "New 'Sonic the Hedgehog 4' First Look Officially Reveals the Sci-Fi Franchise's Scariest Villain Yet". Collider. Retrieved May 15, 2026.
  27. ↑ Garner, Glenn (May 15, 2026). "Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Wraps Production, Director Teases Metal Sonic & 'The Best Sonic Movie Yet'". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on May 16, 2026. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  28. ↑ @kristenanniebell; (June 3, 2026). "In the booth for @sonicmovie 🙌 #AmyRose is coming to life! @rejectedjokes - wish you were here!!!". Retrieved June 7, 2026 – via Instagram.
  29. ↑ Kim, Matt (January 21, 2025). "Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Release Date Announced". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 21, 2025. Retrieved January 22, 2025.
  30. 1 2 3 Yin-Poole, Wesley (March 19, 2026). "Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Teaser Trailer Confirms Jim Carrey's Return as Dr. Robotnik". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on March 19, 2026. Retrieved March 19, 2026.
  31. 1 2 Compendio, Chris (March 19, 2026). "Jim Carrey Is Back For Sonic The Hedgehog 4, With Big Stars In Tow". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on March 19, 2026. Retrieved March 19, 2026.
  32. ↑ Whitbrook, James (March 19, 2026). "Great News: Sonic 4 Has Chaos Emeralds and Matt Berry". Gizmodo. G/O Media. Archived from the original on March 19, 2026. Retrieved March 19, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  33. ↑ "SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 4 Teaser Footage Features Speedster Action". Nerdist. April 16, 2026. Archived from the original on April 28, 2026. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  34. ↑ Shepard, Kenneth (April 16, 2026). "Sonic The Hedgehog 4's First Trailer Debuts At CinemaCon". Kotaku. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
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