Sonic the Hedgehog 3 continues the story of these classic video game adaptations, bringing back the majority of the original cast for a third installment in this blockbuster franchise. Like the previous entries in the franchise , Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s story is an original narrative that draws from the history of the games. In this case, the film seems to be pulling from Sonic Adventure 2, which introduced Sonic's vengeful counterpart Shadow the Hedgehog as a dark mirror to Sonic.

The original Sonic the Hedgehog movie was a huge box office success, and the success of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 cemented the character's cinematic potential. This was in part thanks to a star-studded cast and veteran voice-actors, which brought fresh life to the classic video game characters. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 adopts a similar approach, following Sonic and his friends as they face off with a dangerous new threat in the form of Shadow and must turn to old foes like Doctor Robotnik for assistance.

Ben Schwartz As Sonic

Born September 15, 1981

Active Since: 2006

Actor: Born in New York City, Ben Schwartz plays Sonic in the film adaptations of the video game franchise. His breakout role was as Jean-Ralphio Saperstein in the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation. Since then, he's appeared in a number of projects, including the improv series Middleditch & Schwartz, shows like Apple TV+'s The Afterparty, and films like Renfield. He's also made a name for himself as a voice actor. Beyond his tenure as Sonic, he's also played Dewey in Ducktales and Leonardo in Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Character: Schwartz reprises his role as Sonic for Sonic the Hedgehog 3. A super-fast orphaned alien who has grown up on Earth, Sonic has steadily grown from an immature loner to a heroic figure. He's made connections to humans like Tom Wachowski as well as fellow aliens Tails and Knuckles. While he's still a child at heart, Sonic has become a strong-willed and dedicated protector.

James Marsden As Tom Wachowski

Born September 18, 1973

Active Since: 1993

Actor: Sheriff Tom Wachowski is portrayed in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 by James Marsden. Born in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Marsden's breakout role was the mutant superhero Cyclops in the X-Men franchise. Since then, Marsden has also appeared in several modern romance movies, playing love interests Kevin in 27 Dresses, Prince Edward in Enchanted, and Corny Collins in Hairspray. The actor also starred as himself in Amazon Freevee’s Jury Duty, a popular hidden-camera show set in a courtroom.

Character: Tom Wachowski is the live-action protagonist of the Sonic the Hedgehog movies. He’s the sheriff of Sonic’s hometown Green Hills, where he encounters the alien and quickly forms a close friendship with him. The character of Tom Wachowski was created for the movies and doesn’t appear in any of the Sonic video games. He has become a stable and consistent presence in Sonic's life, serving as a surrogate father figure.

Idris Elba As Knuckles

Born September 6, 1972

Active Since: 1994

Actor: Knuckles is played by British actor Idris Elba, who was born in Hackney, London, England. Elba's big break came with the role of Stringer Bell on HBO's The Wire. Since then, he's juggled work between shows like Luther as well as big-budget blockbusters Hobbes & Shaw. He's also appeared in both the DC Extended Universe and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing as Bloodsport in The Suicide Squad and Heimdall in the Thor films. He's also made a name for himself as a DJ. Knuckles was one of Elba’s first-ever voice-acting roles.

Character: Knuckles is another iconic character from the Sonic video games, and has been a major factor in the cinematic franchise. While he was absent from the first on-screen adaptation, Knuckles played a large role in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. He’s a super-powered and thick-headed echidna who works alongside Dr. Robotnik, but he eventually switches sides when he learns he’s just being used for his powers. He was also the main character in the Knuckles series released on the Paramount+ streaming service.

Colleen O'Shaughnessey As Tails

Born September 15, 1971

Active Since: 1990

Actor: In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Tails is portrayed by Colleen O’Shaughnessy. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, O’Shaughnessy has spent the last thirty-five years as an acclaimed voice actress. O’Shaughnessy found an early breakout role with Sora in Digimon Adventures, a role she reprised multiple times. She has subsequently appeared in over 250 roles across film, television, anime, and video games. O’Shaughnessy has played Tails in many iterations of Sonic the Hedgehog since taking on the role in 2014.

Character: Throughout the Sonic franchise, Tails has always been Sonic’s best friend and closest ally in his fights against Green Hills’ many threats. He’s a super-powered fox who uses his twin tails to fly around the world, which always proves useful alongside his partner’s super-speed. The live-action version of the character debuted in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, where they cemented their friendship with Sonic.

Jim Carrey As Doctor Robotnik

Born January 17, 1962

Active Since: 1977

Actor: Born in Newmarket in Ontario, Canada, Jim Carrey is among the most prolific comedy stars in Hollywood history. Carrey was one of the breakout stars of the sketch series In Living Color before moving to the big screen. Films like The Mask, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, and Dumb and Dumber transformed him into a massive star. Carrey has also showcased a greater dramatic range in films like The Truman Show and shows like Kidding, the latter of which earned him his seventh Golden Globe nomination.

Character: Carrey reprises his role as Doctor Ivo Rotonik in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. The central villain of the previous two movies, Robotnik is a brilliant inventor with a malicious streak. His attempts to steal Sonic's powers and utilize them for his own schemes were thwarted in the two films, but the danger posed by Shadow forces Sonic to turn to Robotnik for help in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

Keanu Reeves As Shadow The Hedgehog

Born September 2, 1964

Active Since: 1984

Actor: Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Keanu Reeves has been a prolific movie star for decades. After finding his big break playing Ted in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Reeves has remained a consistent presence on the big screen ever since. He's appeared in several types of films, ranging from blockbusters like Speed, horror movies like The Devil's Advocate, and animated fare like Toy Story 4. Perhaps his most iconic roles are in action franchises like The Matrix and John Wick, where he plays Neo and John Wick respectively. He's also a musician and created/co-wrote the comic BRZRKR.

Character: Shadow is a powerful and mysterious figure in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and is set up to be the film's primary antagonist. The creation of Dr. Robotnik's grandfather, Shadow is an exceptionally powerful figure who is capable of countering Sonic's speed and Knuckles' strength. While he appears to be a villain, his tragic backstory and secret motivations make him a potentially far more complex character.

Sonic The Hedgehog 3's ing Cast

Fleshing Out The World Of Sonic With Many Familiar (And Some New) Faces

Many other ing characters from the previous entries in the series are set to appear in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Tika Sumpter (Mixed-Ish) reprises her role as Tom's wife Maddie, while Natasha Rothwell (The White Lotus) will return as her sister Rachel. Adam Pally (Happy Endings) will reprise his role as Tom's deputy Wade, who took center stage in Knuckles. Lee Majdoub (Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency) will return as Agent Stone, Doctor Robotnik's loyal aid.

Tom Butler (Sliders) will reprise his role as GUN Commander Walters from the previous two films, while Shemar Moore reprises the role of GUN agent/Rachel's husband Randall Handel from Sonic the Hedgehog 2. The biggest live-action additions to the cast of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 are Krysten Ritter (Jessica Jones) as Director Rockwell and Alyla Browne (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga) as the Maria Robotnik.