While plenty of films came and went without much fanfare in 2024,Sonic the Hedgehog 3managed to become one of the biggest films of the year, building off the previous successes of the franchise to make the biggest and bestSonicmovie so far. While it seems that many film franchises these days are unable to continue finding success,Sonic 3’s great reviewsand series-high box office have put the franchise in a great position to continue finding success in many more installments to come, starting with the upcomingSonic the Hedgehog 4.
The biggest reason that the series has found so much success is due to the classicSoniccharactersthat the filmmakers have adapted for the silver screen, ensuring that each new addition to the roster is unique and interesting. WithSonic 3’s post-creditsscene introducing Amy Rose and Metal Sonic, two major characters in theSonicfranchise, it seems like this trend will certainly continue. However,there is one character that has been noticeably absent from the franchisethus far, who will hopefully finally appear inSonic 4with Amy and Metal Sonic.
Metal Sonic & Amy Rose’s Introduction In Sonic 3 Indicates They’ll Have Major Roles In Sonic 4
The Franchise Has Revolved Around Introducing One Or Two New Characters Per Film
Whilethe threeSonicmovies are great, individual films in their own right, they have tended to follow a pretty obvious trend when it comes to their overall plot, involving the introduction ofa new character or characters as the central driving force behind the movie. The firstSonicfilm obviously introduced us to Sonic himself, teasing Tails in the post-credits scene, who was the main focus of the sequel alongside Knuckles.Sonic 2’s post-credits scene showed off Shadow the Hedgehog for the first time, and he was essentially the main character ofSonic 3.
It’s a great setup for the fourth film, but it does mean that the upcoming sequel may not have room to include another fan-favorite, Rouge the Bat.
WithSonic 3’s post-credits showcasing Amy Roseand Metal Sonic,they will more than likely be the central focus of the fourth installment. These two characters bring a lot to the table, and with Eggman’s apparent death at the end ofSonic 3, the film will definitely have space to introduce a brand-new villain in Metal Sonic, and will need a new hero to rise up and help face this threat. It’s a great setup for the fourth film, but it does mean that the upcoming sequel may not have room to include another fan-favorite, Rouge the Bat.
Metal Sonic & Amy Rose’s Sonic 4 Roles Could Prolong The Wait For Rouge The Bat’s Debut
Amy And Metal Sonic Will Undoubtedly Be The Driving Force Behind Sonic 4
TheSonicmovies have only introduced one or two characters in each new sequel, andSonic 4seems unlikely to buck that trend. While the film’s reliance on using new characters means thateach new addition to the franchise gets their time to shine, it also means that the filmmakers can only really introduce a couple ofclassicSoniccharactersat a time, or risk underutilizing the characters introduced. On top of that, older characters still need things to do as well, and the more characters added, the less time each one has.
In the video games, Rouge the Bat was introduced alongside Shadow the Hedgehog inSonic Adventure 2.
Rouge the Bat wasn’t teased at theend ofSonic 3, and because the new film has to introduce Amy and Metal, it unfortunately seems like Rouge won’t be getting much focus this time around. AsSonic 4has to juggle six majorSoniccharacters, there probably isn’t going to be much screen time for the beloved jewel thief. While her not being in the franchise yet is sad, it does mean thatwhen she does arrive, she will likely be the central focus of a movie, giving her enough time to really show audiences what she can do.
Previous Sonic Movies Have Tried & Failed To Introduce Rogue The Bat
The Filmmakers Were Never Able To Find The Right Way To Introduce Her
Director Jeff Fowler has actually spoken about the character’s involvement in the movies, saying that they have tried to finda way to include Rouge in theSonicfilms, but were unable to make it work for any of the projects released thus far. It makes sense, as she is less iconic than most of theSoniccast that have made their way into the movies, butshe is still an important part of the franchisethat deserves more than just being thrown into a movie as a minor character without much to do.
Metal Sonic’s Introduction Means Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Probably Won’t Include These Characters
The way Metal Sonic was introduced in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 means that there are a few other Sonic characters that likely won’t appear in the sequel.
While we obviously don’t know if she will be inSonic 4, and the franchise’s history makes it seem unlikely, the one reason it could make sense is because of Shadow. The two of them are often paired up, as they are both more morally ambiguous than the majority of the cast, so she could work as a way to offer a new angle for Shadow after his heroic turn inSonic the Hedgehog 3. However, the next movie will likely want to focus on how he integrates with Team Sonic, meaning Rouge’s involvement in this area may be unnecessary.
