Production on the Sonic the Hedgehog spinoff series, Knuckles, has now begun, Variety has revealed. The series will see Sonic the Hedgehog 2 star Idris Elba reprise his role as the red echidna warrior, with Adam Pally (Sonic the Hedgehog, The Mindy Project) now all set to star in the series and reprise the role of Green Hills deputy sheriff, Wade Whipple.

The Knuckles spinoff will reportedly take place after the events of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 but before Sonic the Hedgehog 3, with an official logline revealed that the series will follow Knuckles as he “agrees to train Wade as his protégé and teach him the ways of the Echidna warrior.”

The rest of the newly announced cast includes Edi Patterson (The Righteous Gemstones), Julian Barratt (Mindhorn, The Mighty Boosh), Kid Cudi aka Scott Mescudi (Don’t Look Up), and Ellie Taylor (Ted Lasso), with Game of Thrones star Rory McCann on board as a guest star. Tika Sumpter, who plays Maddie Wachowski in both Sonic the Hedgehog and its sequel, will also return. Further casting is expected to be announced soon.

Knuckles has now kicked off production in London, and will bring back a whole host of talent behind the Sonic movies. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 writer John Whittington has penned the pilot and will serve as head writer, with Brian Schacter and James Madejski also on board as writers. Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 director Jeff Fowler will helm the pilot, as well as executive produce the spinoff.

The Knuckles series does not yet have a release date, but will debut on Paramount+.

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Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is Officially a Go

Paramount Pictures

Alongside the Knuckles spinoff series, a third outing in the Sonic the Hedgehog movie franchise is also now a go. Confirmed back in February 2022, the CEO of Sega Corporation Haruki Satomi has heaped praise on Paramount and its commitment to continuing to bring the Sega legend to life on the big screen.

“We are delighted to announce that the third Sonic theatrical film and the first live-action Sonic series for Paramount+ are being actively developed,” said Satomi. “We’ve got a remarkable partnership with Paramount, and we are excited to continue expanding the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise with them. 2022 is shaping up to be a significant year for the franchise with the second film being released this April, as well as Sonic Frontiers, the highly anticipated video game title, coming this holiday. Sonic has been beloved by fans across the world for over 30 years and we look forward to continuing to bring memorable moments and experiences to them for many years to come.”

Both projects are part of the planned Sonic Shared Universe, with Satomi, and producers Toby Ascher and Neal H. Moritz, going on to reveal that the introduction of Knuckles and Tails in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was merely the beginning. “We’re creating a Sonic cinematic universe, so we knew we were going to add characters, like Tails and Knuckles; new to the films but beloved by gamers all over the world,” Ascher began, with Moritz adding, “[Sonic 1] was a great experience for us as filmmakers, and as movie lovers. Now, we’re even more excited to expand that world, adding new characters, bigger worlds, a new, incredible journey, and more action and adventure. There are so many places we can go with Sonic.”

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is scheduled for release on December 20, 2024.