Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s New Trailer Features a Hilarious Pokemon Reference

The new trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was released by Paramount this morning, offering an expanded look at what we got to see from the movie’s first trailer. In the previous trailer, it was revealed that the Chao Garden feature from Sonic Adventure 2 has been adapted into the movies, where it exists as a themed restaurant. It seems Chao are imaginary characters aimed at younger kids in the Sonic Cinematic Universe, but today’s trailer reveals that another group of video game characters are also seemingly fictional in this world: Pokemon.

When the new trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 begins, Knuckles finds himself confused and unimpressed by the Chao Garden restaurant. That’s to be expected with Knuckles, who seems to still be getting acclimated to Earth. However, he quickly finds himself entertained when a pair of kids approach the table. One of the girls asks Tails “are you Detective Pikachu?” which causes a fit of laughter from Knuckles. The red echidna quickly notes that Tails “does look like a Pokemon!” However, Tails seems less enthused about the comparison. The two-tailed Fox shoots Knuckles an unimpressed look as the echidna does his best Pikachu impersonation.

While the reference to Detective Pikachu is hilarious enough on its own, it’s even funnier when you consider that there’s a slight connection between the two movie franchises. Prior to March 2020, Pokemon: Detective Pikachu was the highest-grossing video game adaptation of all-time. That record was broken by the first Sonic the Hedgehog within just a few weeks of its release. It’s probably just a coincidence that the new Sonic movie brings up the character, but it’s a neat bit of connective tissue between the two franchises.

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While Pokemon seem to exist in Sonic’s world as a pop culture franchise, the two have appeared in some video games together. In the Super Smash Bros. series, Sonic has appeared alongside many other Pokemon characters, including Pikachu, Jigglypuff, and Mewtwo. Adapting that fighting game franchise to the big screen would be a monumental task, but it’s one that has been considered. In fact, Sonic the Hedgehog director Jeff Fowler previously shared his interest in directing a Super Smash Bros. movie during a 2022 interview with ComicBook. While Fowler did seem interested in “getting Mario and Sonic in the ring,” he was quick to note “that would probably require some work from the lawyers.”

It remains to be seen whether Pikachu and Sonic will ever share the big screen together, but in a world where cinematic universes are all the rage, it certainly seems possible. For the time being, Sonic fans will have to settle for video game crossovers and the occasional movie reference!

What did you think of the new trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog 3? Would you like to see a Super Smash Bros. movie? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!