With Sonic the Hedgehog 3 set to release later this year, it’s time to look ahead at where the franchise could go after. Sonic the Hedgehog is a video game character who was initially created as part of a series of games for Sega in 1991. Over time, the character and the games became incredibly popular, and spawned many more iterations of the games that would extend to other consoles and platforms. Then, the character was taken and adapted to the screen for several animated cartoons from 1992, with numerous shows based on the characters being created in the following decades.

Today, Sonic is one of the most widely recognizable and beloved characters in popular media. With Hollywood also attempting to cash in on popular IPs and create expansive film universes based around franchises, the first live action Sonic the Hedgehog movie was released in 2020. The movie proved incredibly popular, and has already spawned sequels and a spin-off series following Knuckles the Echidna. But, there is still a lot more to explore in Green Hills and beyond, with several characters from the games and shows that could be great if included in a new movie or TV show.

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Sonic The Hedgehog 4

Obviously, Sonic’s story does not likely end with the third movie. While the tease at the end of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 suggests Sonic will be facing his toughest challenge yet with Metal Sonic, the story has to extend beyond the upcoming entry. For this reason, a fourth movie with the popular cast returning, and potentially tying together the expanding universe of stories would be the first and best way to continue the franchise.

This film could finally see Sonic come together with more of his friends from the games and cartoons, serving as some kind of Avengers level event for the Sonic franchise. However, the movies should be careful about burning through the back catalog of stories, as actors like Jim Carrey, who played Dr. Robotnik, have publically announced their retirement. This means that Sonic’s greatest rival will either need to be replaced, or recast. Either way, it could be an uphill battle for the film, but the fourth entry could explore this change in more detail.

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Team Sonic

Outside of having an Avengers level crossover, the pieces are already in place for the franchise to start exploring a Team Sonic story. Team Sonic comprises Sonic, Knuckles and Tails, all three of which have already shown up in various parts of the franchise. Even more interestingly, Team Sonic is from one of the animated shows, and they form their group in the wake of a Metal Sonic battle. While this could be a coincidence, it could also be setting up a new series of films, or even a TV show starring the whole gang.

However, the Team Sonic story could simply play out through Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Despite this possibility, Team Sonic can be an incredibly fun group, and it would be worth the time and money to explore a spin-off with these three very different characters learning to be friends, just at a distance. The comedy and rivalry between the group all gathered in one place is sure to make for some hilarious content, and an engaging story to pool together resources.

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Shadow The Hedgehog

While Shadow the Hedgehog was seen at the end of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, there was very little development of the character. Fortunately, Shadow the Hedgehog has since been confirmed to be joining the upcoming movie, voiced by none other than Keanu Reeves. Shadow is a creation of one of the Robotnik ancestors. However, due to how volatile and powerful he was, he was put into a stasis for an extended period of time. The story of how Shadow came to be, and his misadventures with older Robotnik ancestors could be the perfect plot for a prequel series.

Depending on whether Shadow continues to be a rival to Sonic in the upcoming film, his background story would be incredibly interesting. Exploring the moments between his creation and his teaming up with Sonic, there are a lot of stories to be told about the mysterious character who bears a striking resemblance to Sonic. This could also hint at more of Sonic’s species being alive, which means a Shadow movie could see him connected with their race and summon Sonic so he can find answers.

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Miles “Tails” Prower Movie

Another of Sonic’s closest friends, Miles Prower, aka, Tails, made his heroic entrance in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and he could star in a movie of his own. There are several spin-off games that prominently feature Tails, as well as animated shows that have him playing a central role. Tails has a different set of powers to Sonic, and from what has been shown in the movies, he likely has a different planet of origin as well.

If this is the case, a story exploring where he came from, and how he came to cross paths with Sonic, landing on Earth would be very interesting. Tails also has the power to fly, thanks to their multiple tails and their attachment to their body like a set of rapidly spinning helicopter blades. Tails is a character worth exploring further, and it would make sense to have them take the lead if anything happens to Sonic.

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Chaotix

Similar to the Team Sonic group, this trio has a tight bond that helps them to work together and reach a common goal. However, Vector the Crocodile, Espio the Chameleon and Charmy Bee appear to have more individualistic goals than Team Sonic. In the animated shows, Chaotix sets up a detectives-for-hire agency to attempt to make money legitimately. The team are pretty goofy, but, with their combined skills, they should be more than capable of tracking him down.

Introducing these fresh new characters to the universe would be a great way to move beyond the main stories, and expand the world further. The trio may appear to have some surface level similarities to Team Sonic, but beyond their physical similarities, they are vastly different. But, this is a great thing for diversity and helping people to see that these creatures are not attempting to do all those things, and I’d be terrified if that sort of person is still roaming free.

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Doctor Robotnik

While Jim Carrey has stated he is retiring from acting, the character of Robotnik is easily the most powerful and interesting villain to come out of the franchise. Whether Carrey can be convinced to come back and star in a new series remains to be seen, but doing something with the character seems like an absolute necessity. Whether going back in time and exploring the youth of Robotnik, or creating a series about the great and terrible family history of the Robotniks in general.

Approaching the story in a way that feels similar to how Minions: The Rise of Gru explores the youth of Gru could be fun, or simply doing something with his many weapons and technology. Considering how popular villain’s stories are right now, it would make perfect sense to attempt to create a background story for Robotnik, or adapt the many stories that have already been established in various games. For this reason, a Robotnik spin-off in any sort of capacity would be a great way to expand his story and the Sonic universe.

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Amy Rose

Amy Rose is another anthropomorphic hedgehog from the series, and one with a very unique relationship with Sonic. The reason being, Amy Rose has an intense crush on Sonic, after falling for him on their first encounter. Despite Sonic refusing to acknowledge Amy Rose as being important or special to him, she has spent years telling anyone who will listen that she is Sonic’s girlfriend.

As a result, having Amy Rose turn up, either in a series as part of a wider ensemble, or with a miniseries format that could see her go on several missions to try and win Sonic’s heart. Amy Rose is infatuated, and has a genuine connection to him. Amy Rose would be an interesting character to follow and see behind the curtain, as even in the games, not much is revealed about who she is, where she is from, and why she is now on Earth.

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Longclaw Prequel

Longclaw is briefly shown at the start of the first film. Their essential role in protecting Sonic is made clear, but the character is no longer seen after that point. While Longclaw clearly sacrificed themselves to protect the chosen child, as was done in Superman, the character deserves their story to be told. Longclaw is a guardian, but how they came to be given the baby and how the war with the Echidnas broke out are important details that could be further explored and expanded a good dealer.

It would be worthwhile to go back and take a look at some of the most influential figures in Sonic’s young life to get answers. So, instead of blindly shooting above and beyond Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the studios should take some time to consider what other stories can be told in that universe to create something bigger and better. Ultimately, all of the above characters and teams would make for a great video game adaptation if handled correctly.