Information continues to come out for the upcoming Sonic 3, with press recently seeing some scenes from the film. But rumors surrounding Shadow the Hedgehog’s casting were going around. The character didn’t get cast upon Sonic 3’s reveal, leading to speculation as to who it could be. It is now confirmed he will be played by Keanu Reeves.
A Different Kind of Edge – Keanu Reeves as Shadow
This information was confirmed by the Hollywood Reporter, saying the following;
Keanu Reeves is speeding along to another franchise, with the John Wick star heading to Sonic the Hedgehog 3. He will be voicing the popular character named Shadow, multiple sources tell The Hollywood Reporter.
Keanu’s name carries a lot of weight but Hollywood Reporter broke down some of his more notable roles.
Reeves has been in blockbuster mode for the past several years now, last starring in John Wick: Chapter 4 and before that reprising his iconic role of Neo for 2021’s The Matrix: Resurrections. Coming up, he has roles in Aziz Ansari’s Good Fortune, in which he plays a guardian angel, and has a small part as the popular assassin in John Wick Presents: Ballerina, a spinoff starring Ana De Armas.
Getting a big-name actor for Sonic, joining Idris Elba’s Knuckles and Jim Carrey’s Eggman, is a a big deal.
Welcome to Night City Zone – Keanu in Games
But Sonic isn’t the actor’s first foray into gaming. The legendary actor voiced none other than Johnny Silverhand from Cyberpunk 2077. That game featured him playing a major supporting role, almost doubling as the second protagonist in some regards.
His performance was impressive, with every line of dialog he spoke carrying weight and importance to V and the player. Not to mention he can run the gambit of emotions. He could be your best friend, or your worst nightmare, depending on the choices V makes in the game.
And in a ‘what a small world’ moment, this isn’t the first time Keanu would be working with Idris Elba. The recently released Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty had both actors voicing characters in that project.
Overall Thoughts
I welcome this casting with open arms. While I would have found it interesting getting one of the game VAs to voice Shadow, if you are going with a big-name actor, you have to go all out.
And Keanu’s skill at playing the ‘mysterious bad boy with a good heart’ in Cyberpunk 2077 inspires a lot of confidence he will nail Shadow’s character in the movie.
But what do you all think? Are you excited about this casting? Let us know in the comments below!
