Sonic cast like Ben Schwartz, Jim Carrey, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, and Idris Elba, Keanu Reeves has ed the roster of stars to take on the role of Shadow.
Marsden and Sumpter play Tom and Maddie, a married couple who, over the course of the three films, have become adoptive parents to Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles. As if raising a trio of powerful heroes wasn't hard enough, the parents have also had to contend with an evil Doctor Robotnik's plans for world domination. Now, in their latest adventure, Team Sonic will be facing their most dangerous threat yet: the powerful escaped military experiment Shadow the Hedgehog, as well as Gerald Robotnik, Doctor Robotnik's grandfather, who has his own nefarious intentions.
Where To Watch Sonic The Hedgehog 3: Showtimes & Streaming Status
Sonic's live-action franchise continues with Shadow's debut. Here's where to watch Sonic the Hedgehog 3 in theaters, on streaming, and on digital.
Screen Rant interviewed James Marsden and Tika Sumpter to discuss what it's like parenting a trio of hedgehogs, lessons learned from Sonic, and the potential return of Marsden's Cyclops.
Sonic Is "Exhausting" But Fulfilling To Parent
Raising The Blue Hedgehog & Empty Nest Syndrome In Sonic 3
Screen Rant: Sonic 2 really saw Tom and Maddie try to be meaningful parents to the blue hedgehog, with 3 really upping the ante in the stakes. How does that impact their approach to guiding him?
James Marsden: The first film was more of a buddy comedy, really. They were more pals, and then by the end of the first film, Tom and Maddie became his parents. His parents were more parental figures for him and continued to guide him, teach him in the second film about, "Hey, you don't have to do everything yourself. You got your pals now, you got your team, rely on each other. You always have us rely on us as well." And now he's getting to his teenage years where he's really starting to spread his wings a bit and feel more confident in himself.
Tika Sumpter: And use the advice that we've, I feel like, instilled in him.
James Marsden: Yeah. He really listens to us, and of course we listen to him.
Tika Sumpter: And you see it, you see it happening on screen, him growing and being more mature.
James Marsden: Except with his humor, it's still infantile. [Laughs]
Now Tika, your guys' characters experienced the classic empty nest syndrome. What have they been doing to keep busy? And can you talk about portraying that shift from being involved in Sonic's adventures to having time alone?
Tika Sumpter: Yeah. I think everybody's excited about empty nesting until it actually happens, and you're like, "Something's missing." There's only so much time we can spend with each other.
James Marsden: On and off camera. [Laughs] He's [the interviewer] like, "Is he kidding?"
Tika Sumpter: [Laughs] He's kidding. Yeah, I just think we've done our best to fill our time and do new things, but I think we're like, "Okay, what's next?" It's exciting that not only do we instill amazing heart and love into Sonic, but we also have his back in every other way too.
James Marsden: And let's be frank, he's exhausting. He's an exhausting child, he takes a lot of energy, so once he's gone, it's like, "Okay, thank God." And then you start to miss him a little bit, right? You start to miss him.
Sonic Taught Marsden & Sumpter To "Loosen Up"
Lessons Learned From The Blue Hedgehog & Some Cyclops Speculation
Throughout the films, Maddie and Tom have imparted valuable lessons to Sonic, from being part of a family, to learning how to be a hero, and now teaching him the value of making the right choices. What have Tom and Maddie learned from Sonic? And what have you two learned from working on the Sonic films?
James Marsden: I guess, going through the lens of being a parent, it's allowing them to make their mistakes and allowing them to have their own individuality and have their own life. You're a part of it, an integral part of it, and you're always going to have that connection in that safe place. But letting them go, letting 'em spread their wings and stand on their own.
Tika Sumpter: Also, life is not that serious - it could be fun. I think he brings just a joy and playfulness, which I feel like we, in this one, got to be silly [Laughs] and have fun. For me, I think that has rubbed off on us.
James Marsden: Yeah. I think Sonic has definitely taught Maddie to loosen up. [Laughs]
Now James, Cyclops is my favorite superhero of all time. Literally my favorite superhero. Recently, Hugh Jackman came back to return to the role of Wolverine. Does that, do you have the itch to put on the visor again to play Cyclops one more time?
James Marsden: Oh man. I know so little about all of that. I loved the movie, Deadpool & Wolverine, it was great, and seeing Hugh back in that costume was great. I look back on that experience with such affection and reverence for all of it, and I loved playing that character. It was one of the highlights of my career, for sure. It was a joy, and I don't know what they're doing or what's happening with it all, but it was always fun to put that costume on.
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:
- Ben Schwartz
- Jim Carrey
- Colleen O'Shaughnessey & Krysten Ritter
- Jeff Fowler
- Lee Majdoub
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is in theaters December 20.
Source: Screen Rant Plus
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
- Release Date
- December 20, 2024
- Runtime
- 110 minutes
- Director
- Jeff Fowler
Cast
Sonic (voice)
Dr. Robotnik / Gerald Robotnik
WHERE TO WATCH
- Writers
- Josh Miller, Patrick Casey, John Whittington
- Franchise(s)
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Main Genre
- Adventure
- Studio(s)
- Sega Sammy Group, Original Film, Marza Animation Planet, Blur Studio
- Distributor(s)
- Paramount Pictures
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