With the confirmation of Sonic the Hedgehog 4‘s new villain, there is one key characteristic of Metal Sonic from the games that I expect the movie to change. Premiering in the latter half of 2024, and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 became a huge box office success that surpᴀssed its previous entries. This outcome is likely the result of the inclusion of Shadow the Hedgehog, who was arguably the most anticipated character from the Sonic the Hedgehog video games to be adapted. The immense success following Shadow’s origin story makes the prospect of Sonic the Hedgehog 4 all the more exciting.

The previous Sonic the Hedgehog movies have offered substantial evidence that its director, Jeff Fowler, is the perfect candidate for adapting Sonic’s video games to the big screen. Alongside Metal Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 will see the inclusion of Amy Rose — a somewhat decisive character in the franchise. Although the upcoming movie will have numerous characters to handle, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 could be the biggest movie to date, even though I am slightly concerned about the supposed absence of Jim Carrey’s Robotnik. The arrival of Metal Sonic provides a potential avenue for Carrey’s villain to make a comeback.

Metal Sonic Can’t Talk In Most Sonic the Hedgehog Video Games

Metal Sonic Can Talk In An Advanced Form In The Sonic the Hedgehog Games

In the majority of Sonic the Hedgehog’s video game history, Metal Sonic does not choose to remain silent, but he is actually unable to talk. There are some exceptions that include Sonic Generations, but generally, Robotnik’s invention produces nothing but a mechanical beep. Essentially, Metal Sonic was deliberately programmed for silence and obedience, with the ultimate goal of eliminating Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic’s nemesis is indifferent towards the essence of his creation. Instead, Robotnik’s interest is the machine’s power and speed, which is reflected in Metal Sonic being mute. Ultimately, these are the conditions for his base form.

While the base form is the standard for a lot of the Sonic the Hedgehog games, Neo Metal Sonic is a far more advanced form of Sonic’s greatest villain, who does speak. This character is a direct result of a transformation in its original coding, which means that Neo Metal Sonic has superior capabilities and upgrades. While it is unclear how he achieves this state, Neo Metal Sonic can faultlessly mirror other characters’ skills and abilities. This version of Metal Sonic is the one who later went on to attempt to bring Robotnik’s Empire — the plan that Sonic later foiled.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Will Most Likely Make Metal Sonic Talk

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Will Need Another Voice Actor To Sign On To The Project

There is an ongoing discussion about whether the Metal Sonic introduced in Sonic the Hedgehog 3‘s post credits is its base or Neo Metal form. However, this is unlikely to factor into the decision to make Metal Sonic talk. Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog frequently adapts the source material and reimagines elements of its video game history. This is to make it more suitable for a younger audience, with the most recent example being how Sonic the Hedgehog 3 changes Shadow’s origin story. Based on this, we can ᴀssume that Sonic the Hedgehog 4 will most likely make Metal Sonic talk.

More notably, if Metal Sonic is the main villain, as the previous entry suggests, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is going to need an antagonist who can talk. Needless to say, the franchise is already a proven success, but this casting choice will generate more traction for the film. All three installments have an impressive track record casting their ensembles, including Idris Elba and Keanu Reeves as Sonic’s teammates. It is important to maintain public excitement regardless of Sonic the Hedgehog‘s status, and having another huge star attached to Sonic the Hedgehog 4 will certainly help to further boost its appeal.

Metal Sonic Talking In Sonic 4 Could Be Difficult To Get Right

Metal Sonic Being Mute Is What Makes Him So Menacing

While it would be far more menacing to make Metal Sonic mute in the upcoming film, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 has a momentous task ahead with the casting for Metal Sonic. This character stands out as the most distinctive in the Sonic franchise, and not only will Sonic the Hedgehog 4 need the right voice actor, but even after this point, the film will likely limit their dialogue. There is plenty of speculation regarding the voice of Metal Sonic already, with some fans campaigning for the voice of Sonic the Hedgehog himself, Ben Schwartz.

Schwartz is a plausible choice for the voice of Metal Sonic. The mechanical foe is a mirror of Sonic himself, which is the central element of his existence. Based on this, Schwartz is the most ideal candidate for inclusion in the canon. It would be interesting to see how he would be able to differentiate his performance between the two characters.

Other fan-casts include Ryan Drummond, who voices Sonic the Hedgehog. It’s worth noting that he also voices Metal Sonic in the video game, Sonic Heroes. Developing Metal Sonic in Sonic the Hedgehog 4 presents a significant hurdle, but the franchise’s previous record of adapting Sonic’s video game lore gives me a good reason to remain optimistic.