Summary
Sonic the Hedgehog 3is set to be another dramatic installment in Sega’s unlikely video game franchise, introducing a handful of new characters and new locations asthe world of the classic game is expanded even further on-screen. One of these characters is Shadow, the darker version of Sonic who first appeared inSonic Adventure 2and quickly became a fan-favorite. The decision to castJohn WickandThe Matrixstar Keanu Reeves as the iconic character immediately proved to me thatSonic the Hedgehog 3will nail Shadowas a character, bringing him to life in a fun way.
One area where theSonic the Hedgehogmovies have always shined is through their humor. Since these are family-friendly games, the films have adopted a similar tone and a slapstick style of comedy that works really well with these video game characters. The writing is always sharp, the jokes are clever, and everything weaves together nicely. The original was one of the fewgreat video game moviesfor this reason,and this sequel should be no different. And with Keanu Reeves at the helm, there’s one running joke that’s practically begging to be included.
Sonic 3 Has To Joke About Shadow Sounding Like Keanu Reeves After Those Speed References
One Joke From The First Movie Perfectly Sets The Stage
Surprisingly, Keanu Reeves’ involvement as Shadow won’t be the first time the actor has appeared in this franchise. In the first movie, Sonic can be seen watching the 1994 action-thrillerSpeedon television - starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. The protagonist even name-drops the actor in the film, shouting “Keanu! You are a national treasure!”This makes Reeves’ casting as Shadow even more perfect, as it marks a full-circle moment for the actor being mentioned in the first movie and finally getting his own role in the third.
Shadow’s introduction was teased at the end ofSonic the Hedgehog 2.
It would be a huge wasted opportunity ifSonic the Hedgehog 3didn’t make some kind of joke about Shadow sounding exactly like Keanu Reeves, since Sonic is such a fan of the American actor. Changing Shadow’s storyline to be funnier and more lighthearted in comparison to the serious, solemn character from the games would be a great way to ensure thatSonic the Hedgehog 3avoids a disappointing trendof turning every character into a Sonic clone. This running joke could be a really fun way of making Shadow more comedic.
Would Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Referencing Keanu Reeves Be Too Meta?
The Meta-Joke Would Set A Precedent For The Series
As with any franchise, self-referential jokes can be a fairly slippery slope, because they suggest that the characters have some degree of awareness outside of the narrative.This works in movies likeDeadpool, where the characters are famous for breaking the fourth wall and referencing external events, butSonic the Hedgehog3might not be the right place to be setting this precedent and potentially confusing audiences. The joke would also be lost on those who weren’t paying attention to a throwaway joke in the first movie, which could cause further confusion.
However,Sonic the Hedgehog3needs to change the formulain order to continue strongly into the future. If the franchise doesn’t take bold swings, the sequels will become repetitive and familiar until audiences eventually lose interest. Each sequel should do something to reinvent the story, switching things up and subverting the audience’s expectations wherever possible. Shifting to a new style of comedy and self-referential jokes would be a hilarious way of doing this, asit’s proven to be extremely popular in many other projects.
Keanu Reeves As Shadow Is One Of The Sonic Franchise’s Best Decisions
The Actor Is A Perfect Fit For The Role
Incidentally, casting Keanu Reeves as Shadow is among the best ideas in theSonic the Hedgehogfranchise so far. The actor has such a huge fanbase and he’s extremely popular with fans on the internet, which should gather plenty of attention for this sequel that otherwise would have flown under the radar. As long asSonic the Hedgehog 3manages to integrate him into the story effectively withoutignoring the best parts of the otherSonicmovies, his inclusion is going to help the franchise massively.
Reeves is the perfect choice for Shadow, regardless of which kind of stylistic route the writers decide to take the character down. He can be serious and intimidating, as we’ve seen withJohn Wickand its sequels, buthe can also be funny and lighthearted, as he’s demonstrated in movies such asBill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.The actor also has plenty of experience with voice acting, as he played Duke Caboom in Pixar’s widely acclaimedToy Story 4. This all suggests that his character inSonic the Hedgehog 3will be well-rounded and multi-faceted, which is absolutely necessary.
