I’m entirely in favor of Paramount green-lighting a Sonic the Hedgehog 3 spinoff starring Shadow, but it needs to avoid one of the largest miscalculations the franchise has made up until this point. Shadow the Hedgehog, with an epic introduction sequence, burst onto the scene with an expanded role in Sonic 3 with a scene-stealing portrayal by Keanu Reeves.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 lit the box office on fire in late 2024, becoming the highest-grossing entry in the franchise to date. This prompted Paramount to announce a release date for Sonic the Hedgehog 4, and it wouldn’t be surprising if they try to expand the franchise beyond the mainline films. That said, Shadow shouldn’t be relegated to a TV show.

If Shadow The Hedgehog Gets A Spinoff, It Should Be A Movie

Keanu Reeves’s Character Deserves The Cinematic Treatment

I loved the gritty gravitas Keanu Reeves brought to the role of Shadow the Hedgehog in the third movie, which perfectly fit the emotional resonance needed for that kind of character. Additionally, Shadow’s origins were handled beautifully, with an expertly crafted mix of game lore and new plot threads that fit the film adaptations.

After the conclusion of Sonic 3, Shadow was primed to be a centerpiece of the franchise moving forward, which could propel him into a starring role. However, if a Shadow spinoff of Sonic 3 were to happen, I hope it would occur on the big screen, as any potential Shadow-centric storylines would require a large budget to be executed appropriately with a scale that’s true to the larger-than-life feel of the character. What’s more, Reeves is an A-list movie star unlikely to headline a TV show anytime in the near future.

Knuckles’ TV Show Sadly Didn’t Do The Character Justice

The Six Episode Run Of Knuckles Lacked Focus And Failed Its тιтular Character

Despite the Knuckles streaming series breaking records for Paramount+, the show didn’t quite live up to my expectations, and it also did the тιтular character a disservice. Knuckles has been one of my favorite players in the Sonic canon for quite some time, and Idris Elba’s portrayal of the Echnida, who first appeared in live-action in 2022’s Sonic 2, might be the peak of Knuckles on the whole. Giving this interpretation of the character a spinoff was a no-brainer, but the show failed to meet my high hopes for it.

Alongside Knuckles in the TV show was Adam Pally’s Wade Whipple, elevated from his sidekick role in the films. Pally’s comedic attributes are admirable, but Wade wasn’t ready for prime time, and the odd couple pairing with Knuckles was an underwhelming and cliché dynamic. Furthermore, an anemic six episodes weren’t enough runtime for the show, which already lacked focus and didn’t further Knuckles’ storyline compellingly. If Shadow, whose fate was confirmed in a post-credits scene, receives a Sonic the Hedgehog 3 spinoff in the future, I hope it’s a robust cinematic experience as opposed to an underwhelming streaming series.