Keanu Reeves, famed for his roles in the John Wick and The Matrix franchises, is set to voice Shadow in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. In the short time since the announcement, the gaming community has already voiced its excitement for this ideal match-up. We think it’s a match made in heaven.
Paramount’s recent CinemaCon showcase revealed the actor will be the voice of Shadow. In the showcase, a dispirited Dr. Robotnik, portrayed by Jim Carrey, rejuvenates after creating Shadow the Hedgehog, a dark and brooding counterpart to Sonic with similar abilities.
Shadow’s electrifying first appearance in the 2001 Nintendo GameCube game Sonic Adventure 2 immediately captivated fans. Shadow became an instant classic in the Sonic franchise, and fans have been waiting for his leap to the big screen since the first Sonic the Hedgehog movie released in 2020. One fan even predicted Keanu’s casting for the role of Shadow with an AMV.
Redditors are in a frenzy, commenting how they can’t wait to hear Keanu Reeves speak their favorite Shadow lines with his iconic deep, husky, authoritative voice. Fans repeatedly expressed how badly they want to hear the famous one-liner “Where is that DAMN fourth chaos emerald?” in the third installment of the Sonic the Hedgehog movies.
Aside from Redditors, TikTok content creators have already sampled Keanu’s lines from John Wick to match scenes from Sonic Adventure 2. The dubbing may not be flawless in this video, but the more you watch it, the more the casting choice feels perfect.
Reeves has continued his involvement in video game adaptations in recent years, notably playing Johnny Silverhand in Cyberpunk 2077. He also ventured into voice acting, portraying Duke Caboom in Toy Story 4 in 2019 and Batman in DC League of Super-Pets 2 in 2022. While all those roles were outstanding, Shadow the Hedgehog is unquestionably a character that fits the actor like a glove.
