Keanu Reeves officially cast as Shadow in Sonic 3

It’s the day we’ve all been waiting for and we couldn’t possibly have wished for a better result. Keanu Reeves is officially joining the cast of Sonic 3 as everybody’s favourite anti hero, Shadow The Hedgehog.

If your timeline is anything like mine, I imagine it’s already full of memes reacting to the news. I’ve already seen multiple Shadow-ified edits of the John Wick “I’m gonna need a gun” scene. Bravo, my meme-making friends.

Whilst Keanu himself is yet to comment on the casting, the announcement was revealed by The Hollywood Reporter who credited multiple sources.

It follows several months of rumours that claimed that Star Wars’ Hayden Christensen might be taking on the role. That’s evidently incorrect.

The first footage from Sonic 3 debuted at last week’s CinemaCon. Following the events of Sonic 2, it’s revealed that Jim Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik has found himself down in the dumps, using the creation of Shadow as a way for him to bring his mojo back.

Back when Sonic 2 was released, we had the opportunity to sit down with stars Ben Schwartz and James Marsden. Take a look at the interview below.

Back in February, it was announced that actress Alyla Browne would also be joining the cast as Maria Robotnik, a key character in Shadow’s backstory.

I don’t want to delve into the specifics so as not to spoil it for those of you not well-versed in the Sonic-verse’s lore but let’s just say, the grisly wishes you may spot for the character online will soon become clear when the film releases.

The Sonic film franchise has nailed its casting to date and I am very confident that Keanu will uphold that tradition, providing us with an incredible interpretation of Shadow.

This is the man who reportedly turned down a major MCU role to voice a hedgehog. We have no choice but to stan.

This announcement falls during what SEGA is referring to as the Year of Shadow. So far, it’s also been revealed that fans can view a custom Shadow-inspired motorcycle on tour, with more surprises to follow.

Sonic 3 is set to release on 20 December 2024. In a John Wick-esque Keanu voice, can I get a major ‘Yeaaaaaaaaaah’.