Jim Carrey and James Marsden Worked Together Years Before ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’
Jim Carrey is back, having the time of his life in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Those movies — based, of course, on the popular video game series — see the actor playing the villainous Dr. Robotnik. But in addition to hamming it up in the way only he knows how, Carrey shares the screen with a fun ensemble cast that includes none other than James Marsden (X-Men). As it turns out, Carrey and Marsden briefly appeared in the same movie together before Sonic.
Jim Carrey and James Marsden co-star in the ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ movies
In the first Sonic the Hedgehog film, Marsden plays Tom Wachowski, a small-town sheriff who befriends and aids Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) in his quest. Meanwhile, Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik is a genius scientist who becomes obsessed with capturing Sonic and “uncovering the source of [his] power.”
In the sequel, Robotnik escapes his exile to “the mushroom planet” and comes gunning for Sonic once more. Again, Tom and wife Maddie (Tika Sumpter) step in to protect their little blue friend. And both films give Carrey and Marsden plenty of opportunity to show off the comic timing they’ve honed over the years.
The two actors worked together once before, albeit briefly
The Sonic the Hedgehog movies give the two actors to chance to face off, with Tom notably punching out Robotnik at one point in the first film. But Carrey and Marsden have crossed paths before in a surprising film. In Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, Marsden plays Jack Lime, the main rival to Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) and his news team. Echoing the first film’s famous sequence, Lime and Burgundy’s rivalry culminates in an extended fight sequence.
As tensions rise, more and more people join in the fray, including Carrey as apologetic Canadian newsman Scott Riles. Harrison Ford, Kirsten Dunst, Sacha Baron Cohen, Amy Poehler, Liam Neeson, Tina Fey, Kanye West, Marion Cotillard, and even Will Smith also make cameos in the wild scene, which includes the ghost of Stonewall Jackson (John C. Reilly), a minotaur, a gun from the future, and a “were-hyena” (yes, really).
Will Jim Carrey return as Dr. Robotnik for ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’?
With the box office success of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, it looks like Carrey and Marsden could be reuniting again sometime soon. A third film has already been announced, alongside a spinoff series focusing on Knuckles the Echidna (voiced by Idris Elba). But the question remains whether Carrey will be back for the next movie.
After all, the actor recently announced he’s considering retirement from Hollywood. Carrey has stepped away from acting for an extended period before. But if he’s serious about not making any more movies, then the Sonic the Hedgehog films might be in a bit of a tough spot. Carrey’s performance as Robotnik has undoubtedly been a highlight for fans.
