Sonic the Hedgehog 3 brings new villains, alliances, and high-speed action to the big screen this December. The super-powered team formed in the previous film - consisting of Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles - alongside their adoptive parents, Tom and Maddie, face their biggest threat yet: Shadow, an escaped military experiment played by Keanu Reeves. The John Wick actor s an already star-studded cast, with returning appearances from actors like Jim Carrey, Idris Elba, James Marsden, and Ben Schwartz.

This time around, Jim Carrey actually plays two characters in Sonic 3 - a reprisal of Dr. Ivo Robotnik, as well as Gerald Robotnik, the former's grandfather. Team Sonic must form a hasty alliance with their former rival in order to try to take down Shadow, while also dealing with Gerald's own plans and influence over Ivo. Comedian Ben Schwartz, who plays Sonic, is known for a variety of projects, from playing Jean-Ralphio on Parks and Recreation to F. Tony in Space Force, as well as a myriad of other animated roles, like Dewey in DuckTales.

Screen Rant interviewed Ben Schwartz to discuss showing the character's increasing maturity, improvising funny Sonic lines, and the future of the franchise.

Sonic 3 Has “One Of The Coolest Sequences” In All The Franchise’s Films

New Character Introductions & Sonic’s Growth Throughout The Movies

Screen Rant: I love every single one of these Sonic movies - they are the best family movies, and they have such a great story. I like this one a lot because it has deep themes, and this has surprisingly proved to be the darkest one yet. Out of the trilogy, where is Sonic's head at compared to the previous films in this one?

Ben Schwartz:: I think in the first one, he was kind of a lonely kid looking for a friend, and he found Tom. In the second one, they find their team in Tails, and then eventually Knuckles, and this one, he has a team. I think it's him trying to be a leader, learning when to listen to his heart, when to make decisions, learning when to ask for help. It's something that I'm not very good at, and Sonic wasn't very good at, when to ask for help.

I think it's also watching him mature. You see that not only has he been taking so much information from Tom, but he's able to kind of dish it out a little bit, also, and tell from his experience how he can help other people. I think that's a big step for him, a very selfless step for someone who may joke around a lot.

While Shadow and Gerald are some of the biggest faces introduced in this film, this opens up the world from everything from the Chao to a pretty cool character in one of the post-credit scenes. Who is your favorite introduction in this movie, and what's the biggest thing you're looking forward to as the franchise continues?

Ben Schwartz: I think if we don't talk about the tag of the last movie, where we see Shadow's face, in Shibuya, the first act of this film, I think the intro of Shadow against Team Sonic is probably the coolest action sequence. It's one of the coolest sequences in any of our movies, and it is long. There's a clip online that starts where they all land, you see the beginning of it - that keeps going, and it never stops getting bigger and cooler and stuff like that.

Then, you have one of - if not the - biggest set pieces near the end. But our tag is, for myself and for someone like you, who loves video games, the tag is something that I think will make people so happy. If you know the video games, you know where we could go with it, and all of a sudden you're like, "Oh my God, I've got to see the fourth one of this thing."

I cheered so hard when I saw that.

Ben Schwartz: My favorite thing is watching trailer reactions when they come out. Also, we get to surprise people in some audiences. Like, when Tails came up in the first one, the audience went bananas; when Shadow came up, it went bananas. Hopefully, when this character comes up, I want to be in the room when people see that person.

Playing Sonic Taught Schwartz An Important Lesson

Learning From His Character & The Importance Of Improvisation

We've literally seen Sonic grow up on screen. We've seen him learn how to be part of a family, and learn how to be a hero. In this film, he understands the value of making the right choices. What have you learned about yourself through playing Sonic, and what has Sonic taught you?

Ben Schwartz: Sonic has taught me to be grateful. I was very bad at taking a moment to enjoy what's happening in real time in the moment. This industry makes you worry about what your next thing is: "Oh my God, where am I going to get my next job? How am I going to do this? Where am I going to get my paycheck to myself?”

But going through Sonic, I that first premiere was the first time I literally was like, I have to take a moment to enjoy what is happening right now. This is crazy. Jim Carrey's right here in the same red carpet as me. We went to a screen, people went crazy for it, and it has allowed me to be patient and take things in a little bit more instead of worrying about the future - living in the moment a little bit more. Which I do on stage, that's part of improv, but can't do with my real life until this movie came along.

Speaking of improv, you've mentioned in the past that you enjoy improving your scenes as Sonic. Were there any improv sessions that led to a completely unexpected favorite line from you in Sonic 3?

Ben Schwartz: I got to put in a couple of Jim Carrey references in the first one. I got to put in a John Ralphio reference in the second one. In this one there is a series of ones - I have to watch a movie again, but I do so many different takes that sometimes I don't know what they're going to use.

I think for me to have Sonic the Hedgehog say a different one of my characters' catchphrases was bananas - to say, "The worst," during a Sonic movie. We were this close to getting, "Don't be suspicious," in one of the movies, but I'm going to keep trying.

Ah, Sonic 4.

Ben Schwartz: That's it - there's always a chance.

More About Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Sonic the Hedgehog returns to the big screen this holiday season in his most thrilling adventure yet. Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails reunite against a powerful new adversary, Shadow, a mysterious villain with powers unlike anything they have faced before. With their abilities outmatched in every way, Team Sonic must seek out an unlikely alliance in hopes of stopping Shadow and protecting the planet.

Check out our other Sonic the Hedgehog 3 interviews here:

• Jim Carrey
• James Marsden & Tika Sumpter
• Colleen O'Shaughnessey & Krysten Ritter
• Jeff Fowler
• Lee Majdoub

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is in theaters December 20.

Source: Screen Rant Plus