The Big Picture

Dive deeper into the Sonic universe with the new Knuckles miniseries on Paramount+. Fans can expect detailed character development and a wild ride.
Idris Elba brings Knuckles to life in a comedic, detailed way, offering fans a fresh perspective.
With the Knuckles miniseries taking place between Sonic 2 and 3, expect an exciting adventure that delves deeper into the beloved Sonic franchise.

After Sonic the Hedgehog 2 smashed box office records, Paramount+ raced ahead of the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3 to bring us a miniseries spin-off, Knuckles, which takes place between the two films. Voiced by Idris Elba (Luther), the titular foe-turned-friend of Sonic is getting his very own show that Elba promises is an even deeper dive into the Sonic universe. He tells Collider’s Steve Weintraub that fans can expect to learn “a whole lot more about him,” and shares his experience in the sound booth.

Sonic 2 (2022) set us up for an adventure that packs a chaos energy-charged punch with Paramount+’s Knuckles miniseries. This solo adventure is six episodes long, taking place between the second and third film, which is set to release later this year, and takes fans of the franchise on a wild ride of self-discovery as Knuckles adapts to his new life on Earth among the Whipple family. Unable to relax, Knuckles decides to train Wade Whipple (Adam Pally) in the ways of the Echidna warrior to face off with a new enemy, The Buyer, played by Rory McCann (Game of Thrones).

During this interview, Elba shares what it was like to reprise his role as Knuckles for a series all his own, the challenges of performing efforts, and what he hopes fans of the Sonic franchise will discover with Knuckles. Check out the video above or the transcript below for updates on other projects, as well, like Extraction 3, more Luther movies, Heads of State, and Above the Below, which he’s co-directing.

Knuckles also stars Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride), Stockard Channing (Grease), Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future), Ben Schwartz (Sonic the Hedgehog), Edi Patterson (The Righteous Gemstones), Kid Cudi (X), and more.

Knuckles Knuckles the Echidna teaches deputy Wade Whipple the techniques of the Echidna warrior.Release Date April 26, 2024 Cast Idris Elba , Adam Pally , Jaimi Barbakoff , Alice Wren Tregonning , Tony Coughlan , Colleen O’Shaughnessey , Daniel Singh , Alfredo Tavares Seasons 1

COLLIDER: I like throwing a curveball at the beginning. You have done a ton of cool stuff in your career. If someone has never seen anything you’ve done before, what is the first thing you’d like them watching and why?

IDRIS ELBA: You weren’t messing around with the curveball. I’m supremely proud of everything I’ve done, but they should watch, maybe, Charles Miner in The Office. It’s comedy. It’s very funny, and I’m pretty proud of it.

‘Knuckles’ Explores More of Sonic’s New Frenemy
“It is a real universe dive.”

Jumping into why I get to talk to you. What are you excited for audiences to see in the Knuckles series?

ELBA: How funny it is. How it does not shy away from being super detailed and just as good, in terms of quality and depth and writing and performance, as the movie series. I think that if you wanted to know a little bit more about Knuckles, you get to know a whole lot more about him. So, that’s what I like about it. It is a real universe dive. You know what I mean? The Sonic franchise grows, and here comes Knuckles. You get to know a lot more.

Oftentimes, people talk about sequels and prequels, and all this stuff with a franchise or with a movie, and it never happens. What do you think it is about Sonic that they’re making three of them? The third one’s being made, you’re doing the Knuckles spin-off. What is it about these characters that has resonated with so many people?

ELBA: I think it came at a point where there might have been a bit of superhero fatigue, and along came a very friendly, furry little speedball that runs around with his mates, and it was fun and really well done. I think it feels very familiar. It’s Sonic. We love Sonic. I think that people just want more from it. They get attached to something, they want to peel the onion back, and they want to see more, and see derivatives of. So, I think we just hit a specific time.

Idris Elba Gets to Improvise Knuckles’ Lines
Image via Paramount+

You’ve done voiceover work. How much fun is Knuckles versus the other characters you’ve played?

ELBA: It’s actually, really a lot of fun because he’s just so dry. He doesn’t get it. He’s like a fish out of water. So, when I’m in the booth, I have a lot of fun with just improvising. I’ll improvise a line and then say the line, and usually, between the combination, we get the line in the show. So, Knuckles sometimes says things a bit backwards, like, “Ah, this mic, I love,” instead of saying, “I love this mic.” I love having fun with that and making the sound recorders laugh, and then we’ll just go back and do it again. I have a good time doing that.

How much do you look forward to or dread recording efforts?

ELBA: Oh, I always keep efforts to the end because otherwise I just get lightheaded and I’m tired. Especially because Knuckles is always fighting, you know what I’m saying? [Laughs] It’s not good for ya, so do it at the end. That’s a great question, by the way.

What’s funny is I’ve spoken to a lot of people that have done voiceover work, and when I first started talking to people about voiceover, I didn’t really understand that it’s legit acting. I just thought it was like you go into the booth, you were saying some lines… Now, I’m like, “Oh, no, you walk out there exhausted.”

ELBA: It’s like a radio play. You’re doing the whole thing.

So, it’s six episodes. Did you actually record all six on the same day, or is it multiple recording sessions?

ELBA: Six episodes in the same day? No way. I’d be toast. We spread it out. We’d come do Episodes 1 to 3, do it, muck it out, and then they’d go ahead and work on the animation and stuff, and then come back. I’d do [Episodes] 3 to 6. But not all in one day. We sort of spread it out. Honestly, after four hours of a voiceover session, I am no good. There’s, like, gobbledygook coming out of my mouth at that point.

I have learned this from other actors.

Idris Elba Teases ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’
Image by Jefferson Chacon

So I know this takes place between Sonic 2 and 3. I know Sonic 3 is being shot/coming out not-so far away. What can you tease about Sonic 3?

ELBA: I can tease nothing. No, seriously. I don’t even know what’s gonna happen in it. No, I’m joking. I can tell you that it’s super exciting. I can tell you that it really does get deeper into the universe of Sonic. I think 3’s probably the one for all the real diehard Sonic fans. They’re gonna get all of those Easter eggs in it.

I can’t emphasize how much I love Jim Carrey and how great he is as Robotnik in the movies.

ELBA: He’s incredible, man. What a performance. It’s so great to work against, even though I’m never there with him, but I get to hear his voice. Bomb.

Idris Elba Says “Chances Are Good” for Another ‘Luther’ Movie
Image via Netflix

I do have a few other things to ask you about. As you know, I am a huge fan of you as Luther, and I know that the movie did very well on Netflix. What are the chances of another one?

ELBA: The chances are good. The chances are very good actually. I don’t want to make any exclusive announcements, but it’s looking good for old Johnny Boy.

Are you guys working on a script?

ELBA: I’m personally not.

[Laughs] Okay, I’ll leave that alone. You got introduced in Extraction 2. I know they’re making another. Has anyone asked you to save any dates this year or next for filming?

ELBA: I know that we have some unfinished business from Extraction 2. It hasn’t been made official yet, but I’m pretty sure it will be.

Related ‘Extraction 2’ Director Sam Hargrave Breaks Down the Ending, Idris Elba’s Last Line, and More [Exclusive] Hargrave discusses raising the stakes, whether he and the Russo Brothers always knew the ending, spinoffs & more.

Yeah, there’s no doubt in my mind there’s an Extraction 3 coming. I would place any wager you would like to make.

ELBA: I like your positivity, bro.

Not even a debate.

What Is Idris Elba’s ‘Heads of State’?
Image via Apple TV+ 

What is Heads of State about? All I know is it has a kick-ass cast. I know nothing about it.

ELBA: Heads of State is literally what it is. It’s about two heads of state, two heads of their countries, that — how can I say? — go on this incredible adventure.

I won’t pressure you any further than that. You just co-directed Above the Below, which sounds really, really cool. What can you tease about it, and can you touch on the fact that you co-directed it?

ELBA: Yeah, I’m in it. I’m co-directing it. It is a very different movie from anything I’ve done before in terms of my direction. I can tell you that it’s about three astronauts and their journey back to Earth in their space pod. It is an action-thriller survival movie. I’m gonna say, man, I’m quietly confident. I’ve just had the most incredible team film it with me, really great actors, and I’m really excited about showing it to the world soon.

I am looking forward to seeing it. We are in the beginning of 2024. What is your schedule looking like this year? Because you are in that rare boat of getting to pick projects.

ELBA: [Laughs] I am in a rare boat, and that is something that I don’t look at lightly. The truth is, I’m still working on Heads of State after I finish editing my movie, Above the Below, and then I’m off to do some more Hijack.

Image via Apple TV+

Oh, yeah. Season 2. When do you actually start filming that?

ELBA: We’re looking to get into that in June, actually. June.

Oh, so that’s gonna take you at least, like, five or six months?

ELBA: Wow, you’re good. You’re very good.

I have been doing this a little while.

ELBA: Yeah, it’s gonna take us a while. Probably to the end of the year. Maybe.

Knuckles is available to stream on Paramount+ beginning April 26.