Summary
- Ben Schwartz wants Sonic to crossover with Chris Pratt's Mario in a movie.
- Schwartz is also hoping to see a Super Smash Bros. Movie transpire in the future.
- Paramount has confirmed a fourth Sonic movie is in development, hinting at a bright future with new characters.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has only recently been released in cinemas, but one star is already eager to continue the journey of SEGA’s blue hedgehog by potentially bringing one of the character’s best video game crossovers to the screen.
Paramount Pictures has invested heavily in its Sonic the Hedgehog adaptations, with a trilogy of films now released, as well as the spin-off streaming series Knuckles. Ben Schwartz provides the voice for Sonic, along with an all-star cast that includes Idris Elba (Knuckles), Colleen O’Shaughnessey (Tails), Keanu Reeves (Shadow), and Jim Carrey (Dr. Robotnik). A fourth Sonic film has already been confirmed for development and with the mascot platformer doing well at the box office once again, the future is bright for more adventures featuring the blue hedgehog (particularly after those post-credits scenes).
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Sonic the Hedgehog Star Wants a Crossover With Other Franchises
One direction that star Ben Schwartz would like to see Sonic go is into crossover territory. Schwartz pointed to two ideas he’d like to see play out, one being a Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games team-up. Six iterations of the Mario & Sonic games were developed to reflect the events at different Olympic Games and were a hit for both mascots. “I love Chris Pratt. I think he’s amazing, and he plays Mario — which we probably shouldn’t talk about in this interview — but the ‘Olympic Games’ is great,” Schwartz told Variety. Pratt’s Super Mario Bros. Movie is owned by Universal Pictures so a crossover between the two franchises would involve a deal between the studio and Paramount.
The second team-up Schwartz hopes will transpire is a Super Smash Bros. Movie. “What I really think could be bananas is if we get a Super Smash Bros. Spinoff, but that would take so many different studios being kind to each other at the same time,” Schwartz said, adding that if it were to happen he hoped he’d be asked to voice Sonic. Sonic notably appeared as a fighter in Bandai Namco's Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Universal’s Super Mario Bros. Movie was one of the highest-grossing films in 2023, so a team-up featuring the iconic video game characters certainly isn’t out of the question. Such a film has reportedly been pitched at Illumination, but nothing has moved forward, possibly due to the legal and licensing red tape surrounding all the characters.
"What I really think could be bananas is if we get a Super Smash Bros. Spinoff, but that would take so many different studios being kind to each other at the same time. But the idea that we get to build our own franchise that lives on its own, and we have so many characters within this franchise, that we can do three, four, five, six — that’s what I’m concentrating on and that’s what I love. If you want to have a battle royale with a bunch of people we all love in video games, because I’m a video game nerd, I would not be against it. I would see if Paramount would let me go play."
Sonic’s next adventure on the big screen is shaping up to be a huge one thanks to the teasers at the end of the third movie. A fourth Sonic film is currently in development and is targeting a 2027 release date with both familiar and new characters set to make an appearance.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is currently in theaters worldwide.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
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- December 20, 2024
- 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
