Agent Stone faces his most emotional chapter yet in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Played by Lee Majdoub, the character, created specifically for the films based on the SEGA game franchise, has worked as Dr. Ivo Robotnik’s ᴀssistant in his efforts to capture the тιтular blue hedgehog and enact his malevolent plans. Heading into Sonic the Hedgehog 3, however, Stone finds himself showcasing more of his resilience and skills, including a fast-paced motorcycle chase and deducing Gerald Robotnik hiding a darker plan for reuniting with his grandson.

Stone’s suspicions prove to be true as Sonic the Hedgehog 3 sees the elder Robotnik enacting a plan of revenge against G.U.N. for the death of his granddaughter, Maria Robotnik, 50 years before the start of the film, utilizing Shadow the Hedgehog’s power to fuel his Eclipse Cannon and destroy the world. Before Stone and the rest of the Earth are destroyed, though, Ivo successfully stops his grandfather and sacrifices himself to destroy the machine, but not before delivering a heartfelt farewell to his friend.

In honor of the movie’s digital release, ScreenRant interviewed Lee Majdoub to discuss Sonic the Hedgehog 3. The star reflected on the movie’s record-setting success, including becoming the best-reviewed video game movie adaptation of all-time, while also breaking down the filming of the emotional final scene between Stone and Robotnik, as well as the threequel’s showcasing of Stone’s skills, and his hopes to expand that further in future movies.

Majdoub Is Both Thrilled & “Not Surprised” By Sonic The Hedgehog 3

“I’m smiling so much right now at all that info…”

While the franchise started off on a modest note, the Sonic movies have seen progressively better reception from critics and audiences alike, with Sonic the Hedgehog 3 surpᴀssing Werewolves Within to become the best-reviewed video game movie adaptation on Rotten Tomatoes. For Majdoub, he couldn’t be more over-the-moon in his excitement about the threequel’s success, though also feels that the efforts of the creative team make him “not surprised” at this response:

Lee Majdoub: I’m smiling so much right now at all that info, it’s hurting my cheeks. It’s great, man. Like you, I love video games, and I grew up playing [them]. Sonic 2 was the first game that was mine, that I owned on the Sega Genesis. So, to be part of the franchise, to be part of the most positively reviewed video game movie, that’s insane. I’m not surprised, just based on how much the entire team cares about this franchise. Even coming into the first movie, talking with Jeff for the first time, talking with Toby for the first time, our writers, you just knew everybody came from that generation and wanted to do it justice. Wanted to do the fans justice. And it’s showing.

Agent Stone’s Continued Growth Offers Majdoub More “Pinch-Me Moments”

“I think he’s capable of way more…”

While previous movies have offered him moments in which he showcased similar levels of intellect and physical ability to Jim Carrey’s Robotnik, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 offered Stone some of his most exciting moments yet, including the motorcycle sequence in Tokyo in which he deactivated multiple of Robotnik’s egg drones and raced through the city away from the тιтular hedgehog, Knuckles and Tails. Majdoub is not only thrilled that the movies continue to offer him “pinch-me moments“, but also thinks they’ve just scratched the surface of what Stone’s capable of:

Lee Majdoub: I love it, man. It just continues to be pinch-me moments. One of the things that I’m so afraid of is that I’m going to wake up and realize none of these movies happened, but I think that was one thing that fans really wanted, and I was hoping for, was that we were going to get to see a little bit more of what Stone’s capable of, outside of being so devoted to Ivo. So, to see him get that motorcycle sequence, to see him handle himself so well, was really cool. When they told me about the motorcycle sequence the first time, I was like, “What?” And then they showed me the outfit and the gauntlets, and that was really, really, really cool. It just shows us a little bit of a hint of what Agent Stone’s capable of. I think he’s capable of way more, personally. But hey, that’s just me. [Chuckles]

Majdoub Recognized The Importance Of Stone & Robotnik’s Emotional Farewell

“…I knew how instrumental that moment was going to be…”

One of the biggest elements of Agent Stone’s arc in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is his alienation from Ivo Robotnik with the introduction of the doctor’s grandfather, which initially seems to create a sense of jealousy before turning into suspicion. When asked what the actual basis of his feelings were toward Gerald, Majdoub feels it was primarily a feeling of jealousy, though was still “smarter than that” to know something was off:

Lee Majdoub: I think it was both. I think it was kind of maybe 60% jealousy, 40% “something’s going on here” distrust. Yeah, I’d lean to 60-40, 50-50 kind of thing. I think it was right there, definitely jealousy, for sure. But also, he catches on to something’s going on. Like, this guy’s not going to just turn up out of nowhere and be like, “Oh, grandson.” Stone’s smarter than that.

His suspicions ultimately go unheard by the doctor until it’s too late, as he fights to stop his grandfather from destroying the Earth and sacrificing himself to save the world in Sonic the Hedgehog 3‘s ending. In reflecting on filming Stone and Robotnik’s emotional farewell, Majdoub recalls bringing many of his own emotions into the scene, including the fear that it may be his own goodbye to the franchise, and is honored by the response to the scene from critics and fans alike:

Lee Majdoub: I think you hit the nail on the head. There was a lot going on in my head, in the sense of I was putting pressure on myself. I tend to do that quite a bit, put a lot of pressure on myself, and I knew how instrumental that moment was going to be in the movie. Because the whole film is about love and loss and grief, and how different characters process that. And I think, for me, it was like, this scene has to work, this moment has to work. It’s going to be a payoff. And for all of us, we don’t know what the future holds. So it was a little bit of like, “Is this a real goodbye for me to the franchise? Is this a goodbye to Jim? Is this a goodbye to the characters?”

So, I did carry a little bit of that in there with me. And it was just having Jeff there and having a team where we’ve all worked together for so long. I don’t want to say it wasn’t challenging as a performance, but I think I just reminded myself, “Be grounded, breathe, you’re supported, and whatever happens happens as far as emotions and everything.” But yeah, I’ve been hearing a lot about that scene from fans. You guys have written about it, other media has written about that scene, and Stone being such a heart of the film. It’s wild to be reading that stuff and see how much it’s connecting with people.

Stone & Tails’ Quick Bond Came From Majdoub’s Suggestion

“I don’t think Stone necessarily ᴀssociates Tails so much with being such a rival to Robotnik.”

In addition to getting in on the action, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 also presents Agent Stone with the opportunity to interact with more than just Knuckles, being partnered with Tails as they explore the abandoned G.U.N. facility. The scene, which ends with the two captured by Keanu Reeves’ Shadow, starts off with Stone admitting his admiration for Tails’ cuteness, while the latter also unlocks the former’s concerns about the real nature behind his relationship with Dr. Robotnik. Majdoub recalls that he actually suggested Tails and Stone’s sweet rapport to director Jeff Fowler:

Lee Majdoub: I was stoked, No. 1, to realize I was getting to interact with all of the animated characters, because Stone only interacted with Knuckles out of the two movies prior. But Tails, out of everybody, I love Tails. I think Tails is the cutest thing, so that was actually a suggestion of mine to Jeff, was to open up that scene with a very direct, very serious delivery of telling Tails how adorable he is. And Jeff was like, “Oh my gosh, it’s such a great idea.” I was like, “Everybody knows Tails is adorable. Stone probably thinks Tails is adorable.”

I don’t think Stone necessarily ᴀssociates Tails so much with being such a rival to Robotnik. I think he’s had experience with Knuckles, he’s had experience with Sonic, but Tails is kind of just there, which sometimes, I think Stone feels like, “Sometimes, I just feel like I’m just there, and nobody really knows what I’m capable of.” And I think that’s why they strike that, or at least Stone strikes a rapport with Tails. I don’t know if Tails strikes a rapport with Stone. But, yeah, for me personally, I loved it, and it was fun to be able to suggest that idea and get a thumbs up with it about Tails being adorable.

About Sonic The Hedgehog 3

Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails are back for their most epic adventure yet. The team reunites to face a new formidable foe, Shadow, a mysterious hedgehog with powers unlike anything they’ve ever seen. Team Sonic must secure an unexpected alliance if they hope to stop Shadow and save the planet. Keanu Reeves joins the all-star cast as Shadow the Hedgehog.

Check out our previous Sonic the Hedgehog 3 interviews with:

• Ben Schwartz
• Jim Carrey
• James Marsden & Tika Sumpter
• Colleen O’Shaughnessey & Krysten Ritter (Pre-Release)
• Lee Majdoub (Pre-Release)
• Jeff Fowler (Pre-Release)
• Cast & Crew Red Carpet Premiere
• Writers Pat Casey & Josh Miller
• Jeff Fowler (Post-Release)
• Colleen O’Shaughnessey (Post-Release)

Source: ScreenRant Plus