Sonic the Hedgehog 3introduced Keanu Reeves' Shadow the Hedgehog to the franchise, although it ignored an expected Keanu Reeves joke after the franchise’s previous references.Keanu Reeves is one of the biggest actors in the live-actionSonic the Hedgehogmovie series, with him providing the voice of the Ultimate Life Form after his introduction inSonic the Hedgehog 2’s post-credits scene. Now thatSonic the Hedgehog 3is out, Keanu Reeves is a staple of the series, which is why it’s surprising that this Keanu Reeves running joke didn’t come back.
AlthoughSonic the Hedgehog 3is the first time that Keanu Reeves is playing a character in the series, it isn’t the first time that the actor had an impact on aSonic the Hedgehogmovie. In the originalSonic the Hedgehogfilm, Sonic cites Keanu Reeves' 1994 filmSpeedas his favorite movie, with him learning about it after he sees Tom Wachowski watching it. Although it is doubtful that the writers of the first film knew that Keanu Reeves would be joining thecast ofSonic the Hedgehog 3two movies later, it did set up a perfect gag.
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Surprisingly Doesn’t Reference Any Keanu Reeves Movies After Shadow’s Introduction
Missing The Opportunity To Pay Off The First Movie’s Gag
DespiteSonic the Hedgehogperfectly setting it up,Sonic the Hedgehog 3surprisingly doesn’t reference any Keanu Reeves moviesafter Shadow’s introduction. Due to the immense popularity of Keanu Reeves as well as the series' history with making Keanu Reeves jokes, a return from this gag was expected, making the fact that it wasn’t present in the third film a huge shock.
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Another reference to Keanu Reeves could have easily been added to the movie, asSonic and the other characters are constantly making pop culture references. Since one of Shadow’s first action scenes involves him and Sonic racing through a city, the usage of a bus could have made for another fantasticSpeedhomage. However,Sonic the Hedgehog 3never took the opportunity to pay off this joke from the first movie.
Sonic 3 Was Better Off Without Any Meta Keanu Reeves Jokes
It Would Have Distracted From Shadow
Although some may be upset at the lack of Keanu Reeves jokes inSonic the Hedgehog 3, the film was actually much better without them. IfSonic the Hedgehog 3’s storyhad made a big deal about Keanu Reeves being in the film, it would have made it harder to buy into the character of Shadow the Hedgehog, as it would have been a reminder of who the voice behind him was.
Shadow Shouldn’t Return For Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Keanu Reeves Needs A Spinoff Instead
Shadow is prime to return in Sonic the Hedgehog 4, but the character, voiced by Keanu Reeves, may be better off appearing in his own spinoff instead.
On top of that, theDeadpoolseries as well as tons of other blockbusters have pulled off similar meta jokes, meaning that they just aren’t that unique anymore. It would have been hard to make this Keanu Reeves gag actually funny, with its potential inclusion instead making it feel likeSonic the Hedgehog 3was obligated to wink at the audience.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Cast
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 reunites Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails as they face a formidable new adversary, Shadow. With Shadow’s unprecedented powers posing a significant threat, Team Sonic seeks an unexpected alliance to thwart his plans and safeguard the planet.
