Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Runtime Revealed

Sonic the Hedgehog 3‘s December 20th release is just over a month away, and more information about the movie is starting to come in as it approaches. We now know exactly how long the movie will be thanks to AMC’s official website (via Sonic Stadium). The sequel will apparently have a runtime of 1 hour and 49 minutes, which lines up pretty closely with the first two entries. The original had a runtime of 1 hour and 39 minutes, while the second film came in at two hours and two minutes. Runtime probably isn’t going to dissuade anyone excited for the film, but it’s nice to have that information ahead of time!

During that runtime, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will feature a storyline pulled from the video games. The movie will follow the saga of Shadow the Hedgehog, an artificial life form created by the scientist Gerald Robotnik. Gerald is the grandfather of Ivo Robotnik, the main villain from the first two movies. Jim Carrey will reprise his role as Ivo, and will appear as Gerald as well. Meanwhile, Shadow is being voiced by Keanu Reeves.

In the games, Gerald created Shadow as part of an experiment to cure his dying granddaughter, Maria (who will be played in the movie by Alyla Browne). However, the Guardian Units of Nations (also known as G.U.N.), were concerned about Shadow’s potential as a weapon, and invaded the facility, accidentally killing Maria in the process. At this time, we don’t know how closely the movie will follow the events of the game, and what might end up changed. However, there has been a lot to suggest that the main beats will largely adapt what happened in Sonic Adventure 2.

The first two Sonic movies have been highly successful for Paramount and Sega, helping propel the character’s popularity to new heights. There have already been indications that more Sonic movies could be in the works. Rumors have suggested that a Shadow spin-off is being considered, and director Jeff Fowler has hinted that the end of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will offer a tease for a future film, with another Sonic character showing up at the end. There are a lot of possibilities of who it could be, but fans are going to have to speculate until we find out more information.

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Sonic the Hedgehog 3‘s relatively short runtime should be welcome news for those planning a double feature that weekend; the Paramount movie is releasing on the same day as Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King. We’ll have to wait to find out which movie will take home the box office that weekend, but it will be interesting to see how things play out!

How do you feel about the runtime for Sonic the Hedgehog 3? Would you have preferred a little longer, or a little shorter? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!