‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3′ Trailer Reveals Keanu Reeves’ Violent Shadow

Keanu Reeves’ moody, broken and extremely violent Shadow has made his debut in the new trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

On Tuesday, the live-action/animated hybrid film revealed several secrets in a new preview, announcing Reeves’ debut as the infamous Shadow, as well as the return of actor Jim Carrey in a dual role as Eggman and his grandfather, Gerald Robotnik.

In the new clip (below), gaming icons Sonic (Ben Schwartz), Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) and Knuckles (Idris Elba) join forces to tackle a “large-scale security breach” after Shadow (Reeves) escapes captivity to wreak havoc on the world.

Sonic is told that “Shadow’s story began as” the blue-haired hedgehog. But where Sonic “found family and friends, Shadow found only pain and loss,” leading to his violent streak.

The trio eventually turns to Carrey’s lone Eggman — now out of shape and sporting more massive facial hair than usual — for help in stopping Shadow’s reign of terror, and they team up (after an Eggman makeover, of course) to defeat the new threat.

“If I can’t rule the world, I might as well save it,” Eggman says in the preview, before meeting his grandfather at the end of the new footage.

The third film in the Sonic film series follows the global success of the first two films, which collectively grossed approximately $725 million worldwide. Inspired by the Sega video game series of the same name, the films follow the title character as he battles Eggman, an evil scientist, with the help of Tails, a fox, and Knuckles, an echidna.

When Schwartz made his debut as Sonic in the first 2020 film, he said Entertainment weekly He was very happy to take on this legendary role.

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“It’s an insane honor, an unbelievable honor,” said the Parks and recreation the alum said at the time. “I played these games as a kid, so the idea that my voice might be the one to bring a new generation to the Sonic franchise… it’s incredible. I feel very, very lucky.”

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 — also starring James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell and Krysten Ritter — opens in theaters on December 20 via Paramount. Watch Reeves’ Shadow wreak havoc in the new trailer above.