With the hotly anticipated trailer forSonic the Hedgehog 3finally released, eager fans have voiced their enthusiasm for the latest entry in theSonicfilm franchise, particularly with the reveal of Shadow the Hedgehog. Shadow’s introduction has been met with unwavering praise and admiration from even the most devoted fans, though one fan in particular – the director of the film – touched upon the sentimental journey he shared with the character that spanned two decades.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3follows the events ofSonic the Hedgehog 2, where Jim Carrey’s Dr. Eggman was defeated by a team effort comprised of Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, and also droppedthe bombshell reveal of Project Shadowduring the post-credits scene. Shadow’s inaugural appearance was in 2001’sSonic Adventure 2on the Sega Dreamcast, widely regarded as the jewel in the franchise’s crown in addition to being the game that the third film is heavily inspired by. Shadow was initially intended by developers Sonic Team to be a one-and-done character, but due to overwhelming fan response, was subsequently brought back for future games and has since become one of the more popular faces in the franchise, leading to his own eponymous game in 2005. Despite being met with less than favorable reviews and an edgy tone that was lambasted at launch and beyond, Shadow’s headlining game would set in motionthe film franchise we see today.
TheSonic the Hedgehogfilms – and the first episode of theKnucklesspin-off streaming series – were directed by Academy Award nominee Jeff Fowler, who worked on the opening CGI cutscene for 2005’sShadow the Hedgehog.In Fowler’s post on X, he wrote, “One of my first jobs in the VFX industry was animating this amazing character for his first #SEGA standalone video game. Twenty years later, I could not feel more HONORED to bring SHADOW to the big screen in #SonicMovie3.”
The opening cutscene forShadow the Hedgehogwas produced by animation giant Blur Studio, who would go on to animate sequences for 2006’sSonic the Hedgehog, the film franchise, the cinematic trailers for theBatman: Arkhamtrilogy, andthe upcomingSecret Levelseries. The studio gained major notoriety with Fowler’s 2004 directorial debut,Gopher Broke, which scored him and Tim Miller a Best Animated Short Film nomination at the 77th Academy Awards. Miller, one of Blur’s co-founders and director of the firstDeadpoolfilm, served as executive producer on the short and would find himself in the same role across theSonic the Hedgehogfilms.
Fowler is no stranger to the world of Sonic and clearly holds deep reverence for not only the character, but the franchise as a whole. Following the initial reveal of Sonic’s movie design in 2019, Fowler acknowledged the criticism and sought to redesign the character with the support of Paramount and Sega – a decision that, left ignored, likely would not have led to the monumental success that the film franchise is today. If the previous films are any indication, fans should expect to seemore faithful story beatsand Easter eggs onceSonic the Hedgehog 3releases in theaters later this year on December 20th.
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog is a prolific game franchise that started life on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. Covering both 2D and 3D iterations through the generations, Sonic is known for speedy movements and interesting platforming mechanics.
