Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Has A Couple Special Keanu Reeves References, But The Writers Shared With Me The One They Couldn’t Make Work

As a lifelong film enthusiast with a soft spot for nostalgia and a knack for deciphering hidden gems, I must say that Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has truly outdone itself in the Easter egg department. The way they seamlessly wove Keanu Reeves‘ iconic roles into the narrative was nothing short of brilliant.

Looking back on the 2024 movie lineup that’s now behind us, it’s tough not to talk about the excitement and delight that the theater-going experience of “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” has brought. With this latest installment in Paramount and Sega’s film adaptations of the beloved gaming character, anticipation was certainly running high. And when Keanu Reeves’ casting as Shadow the Hedgehog was announced, the stakes definitely escalated!

Absolutely, I picked up a few nods to Keanu Reeves’ iconic film series during our conversation with the writers of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, Josh Miller and Pat Casey. Intrigued, I inquired if they had intentionally inserted any Easter eggs. Given that Reeves was portraying the ultimate being, they revealed they had one homage they intended to add. During an interview with TopMob, Casey disclosed a well-known quote of Keanu Reeves that almost made it into their script.

We considered adding a line for Shadow to exclaim “Lots of guns!” as it fits his character well, given he’s used this phrase in other series before. However, it didn’t end up being included in the movie.

It’s likely that Director Jeff Fowler had a specific role for Keanu Reeves in mind while creating Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which might explain why the scene depicting Shadow walking through a rainy, neon-lit Japan resembles a sequence from John Wick: Chapter 2.

However, a reference that may not have been noticed by many is Shadow’s potential finishing move with Sonic (Ben Schwartz), which occurred in the same scene. If you’re a fan of the Matrix trilogy, you might have experienced a sense of déjà vu similar to mine when Shadow the Hedgehog descended towards the ground, causing Sonic to crash into the asphalt. This move bore a striking resemblance to Agent Smith’s (Hugo Weaving) climactic throw in the 2003 film, The Matrix Revolutions.

Regarding these two references, it appears they were incorporated towards the end of the production. Let me elaborate on the creation timeline of Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Notably, Josh Miller and Pat Casey specifically acknowledged one specific team within the development process.

Josh Miller: “Regarding your query on the subject of adding subtle acknowledgements, I recall that it wasn’t explicitly talked about. It seems it evolved naturally and became more prominent once he consented to participate in it.

In terms of him striking specific poses reminiscent of characters from other Keanu Reeves films, it seems the graphic designers often incorporate these elements subtly.

Despite Mr. Miller and Mr. Casey not being able to insert a signature Keanu Reeves line into their work, don’t worry! With the help of a creative video editor, we’ve moved a step closer to envisioning Shadow the Hedgehog making that appeal to both Matrix and John Wick fame.

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There’s a subtle balance that goes into making a fan-pleasing blockbuster like Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Director Jeff Fowler shared why more game characters weren’t in Sonic 3, and in another interview with IGN, Pat Casey and Josh Miller shared that a skeletal cameo of Big the Cat was nixed from Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Also, you fans who were hoping that Sarah Paulson’s rumored Rouge the Bat role was going to happen, she’s actually been deleted from all three pictures so far.

Even though Sonic the Hedgehog 4 has been officially announced, it’s hard to predict which lines, hidden references, or characters might make an appearance in the future. For now, we can only wait as the fourth game isn’t set to release until spring 2027. Until then, you can enjoy Sonic 3 in cinemas, and rewatch the first two movies and the Knuckles spinoff series through your Paramount+ membership.

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2024-12-28 04:07