Sonic 4 is officially a venture and heading towards a 2027 debut, as reported by Diversity.
This announcement arrives just a day before the official theatrical release of Sonic 3, which indicates that Paramount is optimistic about the early reactions to the sequel. Diversity reports that Sonic 3 is projected to garner between $55 million and $60 million from 3,800 theaters across North America this festive season (and that is only the domestic box office estimate), hence the early green light for yet another follow-up.
Although its box office performance remains to be seen, Sonic 3 has quickly won over audiences, receiving an 85% rating on Rotten Tomatoes — just one percentage point behind the highest-rated video game film ever, Werewolves Within.
GamesRadar+’s review of Sonic 3 offers a slightly reserved view compared to the general consensus, awarding the film a solid 3 out of 5 stars and it notes that it’s “a decent, thrilling installment in a continually expanding franchise that shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon”.
The cast of Sonic 3 features Jim Carrey as the main antagonist Dr. Ivo Robotnik along with Ivo’s grandfather Gerald Robotnik, Ben Schwartz as Sonic the Hedgehog, and Keanu Reeves in the popular role of Shadow the Hedgehog. Other notable actors include James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Idris Elba, and Colleen O’Shaughnesse. Jeff Fowler has directed all three Sonic films.
Details about Sonic 4, including information about the cast, are currently being kept under wraps.
For more, check out our ranking of the top Sonic games or our interview with Carrey, where he discusses what draws him back to the Sonic franchise.