Paramount Pictures has recently announced that Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and a Knuckles spin-off series are in development. Very few details are known regarding the plot, but the series will star Idris Elba as Knuckles the Echidna after he makes his live-action debut in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, set to release on April 8, 2022. Sonic fans are all abuzz from the exciting news, and the prospect of a potential origin story for Knuckles has sparked several discussions regarding other Sonic the Hedgehog characters and their fate within what seems to be the spawning of a cinematic multiverse.
On Reddit, the announcement was reposted by u/vilkam and the comments are full of speculation, debate, and hope for the future of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise.
With the joint announcement that pays homage to the video games Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles, fans are hoping to see further references to the source material starring even more fan-favorite Sonic characters.
One eager Sonic fan even mentioned (ironically) a Cream and Shadow “buddy cop” series. Cream the Rabbit and Shadow the Hedgehog are both accomplices of Sonic and polar opposites in personality. Shadow is a brooding loner and violent individual, whereas Cream is polite and well-mannered, but childish and naive. It can be assumed that other Sonic protagonists will arrive in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, but for now, this is just wishful thinking.
Likewise, another user commented that a Shadow origin story would be “really awesome to see” after the assumptions that the Knuckles spin-off series will detail the origin/backstory of Knuckles. Clearly, Sonic fans believe that many more characters deserve the same.
There has been additional speculation regarding the Knuckles series and its influence on the cinematic multiverse. In earlier renditions, particularly graphic novels and comic books, Knuckles was an unofficial member of Team Chaotix, a trio of detectives-for-hire consisting of Vector the Crocodile, Espio the Chameleon and Charmy Bee who run the Chaotix Detective Agency. One Reddit user mentioned Team Chaotix as potential allies in the Knuckles series due to their affiliation with Team Sonic.
Tails and Shadow are among the most popular Sonic characters, so it should be assumed that they would be the prime candidates to continue the spin-off series saga that starts with Knuckles. In any case, it would make logical sense to expand the universe with several backstories. Hopefully, Paramount will grant some wishes, but if not, Sonic the Hedgehog fans still have plenty to look forward to in the near future.