Director Jeff Fowler has announced tonight that production on the highly anticipated Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has officially commenced!
While no casting news accompanied his tweet, Primetime Emmy-winner Ben Schwartz has already been confirmed to reprise his role as the voice of the titular hedgehog along with 2x Golden Globe-winner Jim Carrey (Dr. Robotnik), James Marsden (Tom Wachowski), Tika Sumpter (Maddie Wachowski) and Lee Majdoub (Agent Stone) also expected to return.
The film is also set to formally introduce both Tails and Knuckles, although there's no word on who will be voicing the parts. Colleen O'Shaughnessey, the voice of Tails in the video game series, reprised her role in the previous film's mid-credits scene, but it's unclear whether she'll return for the sequel.
Sonic the Hedgehog is the fifth highest-grossing video game movie in cinematic history and also holds the record for the biggest opening weekend ever for a video game movie adaptation, fourth-best President's Day holiday weekend ever, and Jim Carrey's second-biggest opening weekend ever. It also finished 2020 as the highest-grossing "superhero" film of the year, the highest-grossing film based on a video game domestically, and the sixth-highest grossing film of the year globally.
Fowler is back in the director's chair, with a screenplay from returning scribes Pat Casey and Josh Miller. Production will reportedly begin in Vancouver before moving to Hawaii for the latter part of its schedule.
Also, in case you missed it, be sure to check out my recent interview with star Ben Schwartz and see what he very briefly had to say about the sequel's script near the end of our Flora & Ulysses conversation. Also, please like and subscribe!
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is expected to speed into theaters April 8, 2022.