‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ Doesn’t Have to Bring Back Jim Carrey (But It Should)
Ahead of Sonic the Hedgehog’s release in 2020, no one expected the movie to be as successful as it was. Even more, few anticipated how much of a standout Jim Carrey’s performance as Dr. Robotnik would be.
The ending of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, however, leaves his involvement in the next film unclear. Here’s why Carrey should still return for Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
Jim Carrey claims he is considering retiring from acting soon
Prior to Sonic the Hedgehog, Carrey’s last major studio movie was 2014’s Dumb and Dumber To. Yet, the actor returned in a big way as Robotnik, with many hailing it on par with his 1990s roles in movies like Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and The Mask. However, soon after Sonic the Hedgehog 2 hit theaters, the actor revealed he is considering retirement from Hollywood.
“I really like my quiet life and I really like putting paint on canvas and I really love my spiritual life and I feel like – and this is something you might never hear another celebrity say as long as time exists – I have enough. I’ve done enough. I am enough,” Carrey said in an interview. With Sonic the Hedgehog 2 teasing Shadow the Hedgehog, does the third film really need Carrey?
Why ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ should still bring Robotnik back
Where the movies’ story currently stands, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 may indeed have the luxury of choosing whether or not Robotnik re-emerges yet again. After all, if he does align himself with Shadow, the storyline could wind up hewing too closely to the plotline that united Robotnik with Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) in the second film. So there’s an argument against Carrey’s return.
However, Shadow’s storyline in the video games inevitably brings the Robonik family to the fore. After all, according to the Sonic News Network – the franchise’s Fandom site – Shadow was created by Gerald Robotnik, grandfather to Carrey’s Ivo Robotnik. It would be a shame for the character’s ties to Sonic’s arch-nemesis to go unexplored. And it would be even worse for this to be brought to light with Carrey’s Robotnik involved, even if it’s in a more limited supporting role.
What we know about ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ so far
So far, little is known about Sonic the Hedgehog 3. The movies’ producers have already claimed that recasting Robotnik for the next movie isn’t even an option. So, it seems, the direction the movie goes in might greatly depend on whether Carrey makes an exception for this project or if he sticks to his retirement plan.
In any case, Ben Schwartz and Colleen O’Shaughnessey – who voice Sonic and Tails, respectively – are certainly coming back. And the principal human cast, led by James Marsden and Tika Sumpter, is probably a given too. Likewise, Elba will reprise his role as Knuckles for an upcoming Paramount+ series centered on his character will return when Sonic the Hedgehog 3 hits theaters on December 20, 2024.
