Keanu Reeves’ Sonic 3 Role Reunites Him With 1 Star For The First Time Since Their 2016 Bomb

Keanue Reeves’ Sonic the Hedgehog 3 role will reunite him with an A-list actor for the first time since their 2016 box office bomb. With Sonic the Hedgehog 3 slated for a December 2024 release, audiences will have to wait until the end of the year to see what Reeves brings to the table as the iconic villain turned anti-hero, Shadow the Hedgehog. While the third installment in the franchise is exciting all on its own, Keanu Reeves as Shadow the Hedgehog will be exciting, since the actor isn’t particularly known for playing villains in his extensive body of work.

Although Keanu Reeves’ storied movie career would suggest that he’s starred opposite some of the entertainment industry’s top brass throughout his career multiple times, there are some high-profile actors and actresses that Reeves has either only worked with once or not at all. With Sonic the Hedgehog 3 well underway, it will reunite Reeves with another all-time great for the first time since a commercial failure in 2016. Based on the success of the first two Sonic films, this next project has an opportunity for a much better result than their first movie together.

Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Reunites Keanu Reeves With Jim Carrey From 2016’s The Bad Batch

Reeves Starred As The Villain And Carrey Was A Mysterious Hermit.

The Bad Batch sees its protagonist Arlen surviving the rigors of a desert-like dystopian future where humans eat each other to survive. In the movie, Reeves plays The Dream, a cult-like character who allows women to live in his mansion so long as they join his sex-cult, and Carrey plays The Hermit, a man living in self-imposed exile who offers sage advice despite his fragile mental state. While both boast significant roles in the story, Reeves and Carrey don’t share any scenes, which positions Sonic the Hedgehog 3 to redeem the missed opportunity.

How Reeves’ Shadow And Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik Will Compare To The Bad Batch

Their Relationship Will Be More Akin To A Friendly Rivalry In Sonic The Hedgehog 3

Although The Bad Batch only grossed $201,890 against a budget of $6 million, it features subversive performances from Reeves and Carrey. Reeves isn’t notable for his villainous roles, since he excels as the hero or anti-hero, and Carrey, while known for his incredible physical humor and electric performances throughout his career, plays a wise old man with the ability to heal people, in what is a relatively subdued role. However, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will more than make up for Reeves and Carrey’s lack of screen time in The Bad Batch given their characters’ history.

Shadow’s original plan is to destroy Earth since he believes the American government killed his best friend Maria. However, after losing his memories and uncovering the truth about his creator, Dr. Gerald Robotnik, Shadow has to reevaluate his purpose and future. With that in mind, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 should give Carrey and Reeves’ characters plenty of time to interact, since their fates are intrinsically linked throughout the franchise. Depending on which side Shadow ultimately chooses, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 could culminate in the two meeting in an epic clash.