Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is edging closer to revealing who’ll play Shadow, especially after announcing a key cast member connected to the character – and she’s gonna break our hearts.
Next to Mario, Sonic is one of the most recognizable video game characters in the world. SEGA’s blue blur is still a mainstay of modern gaming, but he’s also become a formidable force on screens big and small in recent years.
Sonic Prime fetched impressive viewership on Netflix, but the live-action movies have been an extraordinary success (considering the horror of its first Sonic reveal). Cumulatively, both films grossed north of $700 million, paving the way for a highly anticipated threequel.
The next entry is particularly exciting, given it’ll introduce Shadow, Sonic’s gun-toting, best frenemy. If the latest casting is any indication, we’re going to get the anti-hero’s whole story. Spoilers to follow…
Shadow fans celebrate Maria’s casting in Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Alyla Browne has confirmed she’ll play Maria in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
Alyla Browne reveals she will play Maria in ‘SONIC 3’. pic.twitter.com/aOiOO8YQIA
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) February 16, 2024
In Sonic canon, Maria is the granddaughter of Gerald Robotnik (who’s also the grandfather of Dr. Eggman). He was the scientist behind Project Shadow, a government project to create an immortal lifeform that could also cure Maria’s terminal illness.
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Maria was born aboard the ARK, a space colony that was also the birthplace of Shadow. Due to Maria’s health, she was never able to leave and visit Earth. However, she and Shadow became close friends, so much so that she even helped him escape – but it came with a cost: she was fatally shot by a G.U.N. officer, a tragedy that left Shadow with a contempt for all humanity.
Naturally, fans are hyped to see such a horrific event unfold in the movie (especially since Browne shared a photo with a jacket covering her face and body, hinting it will be adapted as we saw it in the game). “Sh*t… they are really going to do it aren’t they,” one user tweeted.
“I can not f**king wait for the theater to cheer when she gets shot in the face,” another joked. “I’m gonna be crying when this happens, aren’t I?” a third wrote. “The story behind Maria Robotnik and Shadow is a very sad and heartbreaking one,” a fourth tweeted.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 speeds into cinemas on December 20, 2024.