Summary
Sega and Paramount have given fans a look at the logo for the upcoming thirdSonic the Hedgehogmovie, and some are noticing a surprise connection to 2001’sSonic Adventure 2in its design. The first two live-actionSonic the Hedgehogfilms were an overwhelming success, and the post-credits scene for last year’sSonic the Hedgehog 2confirmed that the next installment will feature the cinematic debut ofSonic’s dark rival Shadow the Hedgehog. The self-proclaimed Ultimate Life-form was shown awakening from stasis following the defeat of Jim Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik, much to the surprise of fans not expecting Shadow to appear until much later in the series.
Still, Shadow’s emergence has sparked much speculation about howSonic the Hedgehog 3will portray Sonic’s brooding doppelganger, with the most talked about point naturally being who will voice him on the big screen. While the identity of Shadow’s actor is still being kept under wraps, an official social media account for the live-actionSonic the Hedgehogmovies recently posted a close-up image ofShadow’s signature Air Shoesand an updated logo forSonic the Hedgehog 3as shown on a movie clapper that also featured the names of director Jeff Fowler and cinematographer Brandon Trost.
While this recently released image is igniting discussion about Shadow’s design, some fans have noticed an interesting connection between the logo near his foot that ties back to his initial video game appearance, as reported byThe Gamer. Twitter user SLOplays posted an enhanced close-up of thisSonic the Hedgehog 3logo, which they note looks strikingly similar to the one forSonic Adventure 2. The logo features hedgehog-like spines in the colors ofSonic and Shadowabove and below the “Sonic 3” text, just like the one forAdventure 2.
As mentioned before,Sonic Adventure 2marked the very first appearance of Shadow the Hedgehog, making it all the more fitting forSonic the Hedgehog 3to pay homage to it. There, Shadow was introduced as a villain, joining forces with the nefarious Dr. Eggman andfellow newcomer Rouge the Baton a mission to conquer the world. Shadow would eventually redeem himself and become a reluctant ally to Sonic and his friends, and even starred in the infamousShadow the Hedgehogspin-off game in 2005.
It remains to be seen how the nextSonic the Hedgehogfilm will adapt Shadow’s surprisingly dark and tragic backstory fromSonic Adventure 2, but it looks like the upcoming movie will draw heavy inspiration from the 2001 Sega Dreamcast classic if its similarly-designed logo is any indication. Fans will still have to wait a while longer for Shadow’s debut on the big screen, asSonic the Hedgehog 3is currently set to race into theaters on July 16, 2025.
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog is a prolific game franchise that started life on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. Covering both 2D and 3D iterations through the generations, Sonic is known for speedy movements and interesting platforming mechanics.
