While plenty of films came and went without much fanfare in 2024, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 managed to become one of the biggest films of the year, building off the previous successes of the franchise in order to make the biggest and best Sonic movie so far. While it seems that many film franchises these days are unable to continue finding success, Sonic 3‘s great reviews and series-high box office have put the franchise in a great position to continue finding success in many more installments to come, starting with the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 4.

The biggest reason that the series has found so much success is due to the classic Sonic characters that the filmmakers have adapted for the silver screen, ensuring that each new addition to the roster is unique and interesting. With Sonic 3‘s post-credits scene introducing Amy Rose and Metal Sonic, two major characters in the Sonic franchise, it seems like this trend will certainly continue. However, there is one character that has been noticeably absent from the franchise thus far, who will hopefully finally appear in Sonic 4 with Amy and Metal Sonic.

Metal Sonic & Amy Rose’s Introduction In Sonic 3 Indicates They’ll Have Major Roles In Sonic 4

The Franchise Has Revolved Around Introducing One Or Two New Characters Per Film

While the three Sonic movies are great, individual films in their own right, they have tended to follow a pretty obvious trend when it comes to their overall plot, involving the introduction of a new character or characters as the central driving force behind the movie. The first Sonic film obviously introduced us to Sonic himself, teasing Tails in the post-credits scene, who was the main focus of the sequel alongside Knuckles. Sonic 2‘s post-credits scene showed off Shadow the Hedgehog for the first time, and he was essentially the main character of Sonic 3.

With Sonic 3‘s post-credits showcasing Amy Rose and Metal Sonic, they will more than likely be the central focus of the fourth installment. These two characters bring a lot to the table, and with Eggman’s apparent death at the end of Sonic 3, the film will definitely have space to introduce a brand-new villain in Metal Sonic, and will need a new hero to rise up and help face this threat. It’s a great setup for the fourth film, but it does mean that the upcoming sequel may not have room to include another fan-favorite, Rouge the Bat.

Metal Sonic & Amy Rose’s Sonic 4 Roles Could Prolong The Wait For Rouge The Bat’s Debut

Amy And Metal Sonic Will Undoubtedly Be The Driving Force Behind Sonic 4

The Sonic movies have only introduced one or two characters in each new sequel, and Sonic 4 seems unlikely to buck that trend. While the film’s reliance on using new characters means that each new addition to the franchise gets their time to shine, it also means that the filmmakers can only really introduce a couple of classic Sonic characters at a time, or risk underutilizing the characters introduced. On top of that, older characters still need things to do as well, and the more characters added, the less time each one has.

Rouge the Bat wasn’t teased at the end of Sonic 3, and because the new film has to introduce Amy and Metal, it unfortunately seems like Rouge won’t be getting much focus this time around. As Sonic 4 has to juggle six major Sonic characters, there probably isn’t going to be much screen time for the beloved jewel thief. While her not being in the franchise yet is sad, it does mean that when she does arrive, she will likely be the central focus of a movie, giving her enough time to really show audiences what she can do.

Previous Sonic Movies Have Tried & Failed To Introduce Rogue The Bat

The Filmmakers Were Never Able To Find The Right Way To Introduce Her

Director Jeff Fowler has actually spoken about the character’s involvement in the movies, saying that they have tried to find a way to include Rouge in the Sonic films, but were unable to make it work for any of the projects released thus far. It makes sense, as she is less iconic than most of the Sonic cast that have made their way into the movies, but she is still an important part of the franchise that deserves more than just being thrown into a movie as a minor character without much to do.

While we obviously don’t know if she will be in Sonic 4, and the franchise’s history makes it seem unlikely, the one reason it could make sense is because of Shadow. The two of them are often paired up, as they are both more morally ambiguous than the majority of the cast, so she could work as a way to offer a new angle for Shadow after his heroic turn in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. However, the next movie will likely want to focus on how he integrates with Team Sonic, meaning Rouge’s involvement in this area may be unnecessary.