Sonic The Hedgehog 2 - What We Know So Far

Even after it was almost derailed by a set of eerily human-looking teeth, the film adaptation of Sega's beloved mascot was a hit both with fans of the games and at the box office, earning nearly $320 million worldwide. Although critics felt there was some room for improvement, the zippy design of Sonic himself and the likable cast of human characters were enough to have the film declared the rare successful video game adaptation. Just three months after the release of the first movie, Variety confirmed that "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" was officially on the way, with director Jeff Fowler and screenwriters Pat Casey and Josh Miller all returning.

In the first film, we're introduced to Sonic (Ben Schwartz), an alien hedgehog who uses a dimension-bending ring to travel to earth. Once there, he's pursued by the evil Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey), who wants to harness Sonic's supersonic speed for use in his robotics experiments. Sonic teams up with Tom (James Marsden) and his wife Maddie (Tika Sumpter) in order to evade Dr. Robotnik's increasingly menacing attempts to capture the hedgehog.

"Sonic the Hedgehog" was enjoyable and did justice to the games, but it also left lots of room to go bigger and better with another installment. Now that we know one is on the way, let's dig into the details of what we know about the release date, cast, and plot of the upcoming "Sonic the Hedgehog 2."

The official announcement of "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" was a welcome piece of news for fans of the iconic blue speed demon. However, when Paramount made the announcement, it was just that: news and not much else. However, in late July 2020, the studio revealed the official release date for "Sonic the Hedgehog 2."

Ben Schwartz, who voices the speedy little hedgehog, posted to his Twitter account a video of himself confirming the news. Well, the video simply featured Schwartz strolling beside massive promotional posters for "Sonic the Hedgehog" while, in hilariously awkward fashion, explaining what he was seeing. The caption of the video is where the actor made things crystal clear: "SONIC 2 IS OFFICIALLY COMING 2 THEATERS 4/8/22!!!"

One of the biggest strengths of the first "Sonic the Hedgehog" was its cast. Ben Schwartz, best known for "Parks and Recreation" and "The Afterparty," and an avowed fan of the original Sonic games, gave an energetic vocal performance as the titular hedgehog. Jim Carrey was delightfully unhinged as the villainous Dr. Robotnik, while James Marsden and Tika Sumpter provided the right balance of humor and heart as Sonic's unassuming human allies. All four actors will reprise their roles in "Sonic the Hedgehog 2," as will Adam Pally (as deputy Wade Whipple) and Natasha Rothwell (as Maddie's sister, Rachel). In the original film, Colleen O'Shaughnessy, who voiced Tails in the Sonic games, performed the character's dialogue in a brief, post-credits sequence. That set up Tails to be a much more prominent part of the next film, and O'Shaughnessy will return.

There are two new big names in the cast of "Sonic the Hedgehog 2." In June 2021, Shemar Moore, well known for his work on CBS procedurals "Criminal Minds" and "S.W.A.T.," posted to Instagram a picture of himself on the "Sonic 2" set with the other primary members of the human cast. He announced his casting, but didn't reveal any details about his character. However, Moore briefly appears in a wedding scene in the third "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" trailer, standing at the altar next to Rachel. And in August 2021, Variety reported that Emmy-and-Oscar-nominated superstar Idris Elba had joined "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" as the voice of Knuckles, a Sonic adversary turned ally in the '90s Sega games.

During the 2021 Game Awards, "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" voice actor Ben Schwartz introduced the first trailer for the film, with a second teaser arriving in time for the 2022 Super Bowl. Both clips revealed a few details about the plot of the highly anticipated sequel. After Sonic blasted away Dr. Robotnik to a mushroom planet in the first film, he was determined to escape his prison and return to Earth. A post-credits scene shows a ring portal open up near Green Hills, and Tails zips through. Both characters continue their exploits in "Sonic the Hedgehog 2."

As revealed in the third trailer, which hit the internet on March 14, 2022, Dr. Robotnik returns to wreak more havoc, and he's in possession of a giant green emerald, which he proclaims to be "the source of ultimate power." Sonic, after crashing through a ring portal on a pile of snow, rudely interrupting Rachel's Hawaiian destination wedding, announces his intention to stop his persistent nemesis — or otherwise "the world is doomed." Neither side is alone in their quest this time. Dr. Robotik has brought along the destructive and nefarious echidna Knuckles, while Sonic has Tails fighting in his corner.