Summary

  • Sonic the Hedgehog 3 introduces Shadow and features post-credits scenes hinting at the franchise's future.
  • Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is the best-reviewed in the trilogy, setting a high bar for the upcoming fourth film.
  • Post-credits scenes introduce Metal Sonic and Amy Rose, with hints at Shadow's return and importance in the next film.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is now in cinemas around the world, bringing the next installment in the blue hedgehog’s story to life, which includes the introduction of Keanu Reeves’ Shadow. Like with previous Sonic the Hedgehog films, the movie also includes a pair of post-credits sequences that hint at the future of the franchise.

Sonic the Hedgehog is a loose adaptation of SEGA’s long-running mascot platformer games. It features Sonic living on Earth with a human family, along with friends Tails and Knuckles, who were introduced in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. The third Sonic film adapts even more elements from the SEGA games, bringing the notorious antihero Shadow to the film, along with characters like Gerald and Maria Robotnik. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is the best-reviewed in the trilogy so far, meaning the recently announced fourth film has quite a high bar to live up to.

Sonic, Knuckles, Shadow the hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Ending Explained

Sonic the Hedgehog 3's ending sets up the future of the franchise in an exciting way.

By 

Sonic 3 Director Discusses Post-Credits Scenes

The rest of this article contains spoilers for the end of Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

As was rumored, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 features multiple post-credit sequences that have major implications for the next films. The first features the introduction of Metal Sonic and Amy Rose, two recognizable characters from SEGA’s games. Director Jeff Fowler has commented on the choice of characters for Sonic 3’s after-credits scenes confirming to Screen Rant that they “would never introduce characters at the end of one of these films that we weren't already excited about where they could take the story.”

"Look, there are so many great characters. Sonic's been around for over 30 years, we love working our way down the list, and it's fun to watch the fans online speculate. Everyone's got their favorites, on our side, everyone's got their favorites. It's fun to make the debate and, yeah, the story ideas, it's a package deal. We would never introduce characters at the end of one of these films that we weren't already excited about where they could take the story."

Fowler added that when it came to choosing what would happen in the post-credits scenes they wanted to find characters that would take the Sonic films in an exciting direction. “That's really what determines what characters get chosen. It's like, "What would be new? What would be interesting? What would be a fun direction to take our world?" He said. This indicates both Amy Rose and Metal Sonic will be playing important roles in the next Sonic the Hedgehog film, similar to Shadow who went on to have a major role in the third film after being teased in the post-credits of Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Metal Sonic is known as one of Sonic’s most dangerous foes, while Amy Rose is one of his most valuable allies.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3's Post-Credits Scenes Also Hint At a Future For Shadow

A second post-credits scene also revealed that Shadow the Hedgehog survived the events of the film, despite it seeming like he’d sacrificed himself to stop Gerald Robotnik’s Eclipse Cannon. If Fowler's explanation for the post-credits choices holds true, this likely also means the dark hedgehog has a large future ahead of him in the franchise. With the addition of Amy Rose and Metal Sonic, plus the return of Shadow, the fourth Sonic film will no doubt be one of the most exciting installments in the franchise yet.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is now playing in theaters.

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Sonic the Hedgehog 3
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PG
Action
Science Fiction
Comedy
Family
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Release Date
December 20, 2024
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Cast
Ben Schwartz, Jim Carrey, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba, Colleen O'Shaughnessey, Krysten Ritter, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Alyla Browne, Lee Majdoub, Natasha Rothwell, Shemar Moore, Adam Pally, Tom Butler, James Wolk, Jorma Taccone, Cristo Fernández, Sofia Pernas, Brett Tutor, Richard Sutton, Will Austin, Barry Calvert, Brendan Murphy, Toru Nakahara
Runtime
110 minutes
Director
Jeff Fowler
Writers
Josh Miller, Patrick Casey, John Whittington
Prequel(s)
Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog
Franchise(s)
Sonic the Hedgehog
Main Genre
Adventure
Studio(s)
Sega Sammy Group, Original Film, Marza Animation Planet, Blur Studio
Distributor(s)
Paramount Pictures