The upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3 recently dropped its first trailer, finally giving fans a first look at the arrival of the franchise’s most loved anti-hero, Shadow. Along with the fan-favorite video game character’s arrival, the trailer also confirmed that actor Keanu Reeves would be voicing Shadow in the upcoming threequel.
Fans reacted to Reeves’ debut in the franchise on social media, but reactions to his voice as Shadow were mixed. While some fans found Reeves to be the ideal pick, others weren’t as hyped about the casting choice. Instead, they suggested Robert Pattinson as their pick for the voice of Shadow in the Sonic franchise. Here is what fans had to say about Keanu Reeves’ Sonic 3 role.
Fans React to Keanu Reeves’s Debut as Shadow in Sonic 3 Trailer
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is slated to release later this year, with the third installment set to introduce the anti-hero Shadow from the video games. Actor Keanu Reeves was reportedly voicing the character and the same was confirmed by the film’s first trailer which dropped at CinemaCon 2024.
The new footage revealed the first look at Shadow in the upcoming threequel, along with Reeves’ voice for the character. However, Reeves’ debut in the video game-inspired franchise received mixed reactions from fans on social media. Here is what fans had to say about Reeves’ voice in Sonic 3 on X.
From the fans’ reactions, it is evident that they are pretty split about the choice to cast Reeves in the role of Shadow. While some fans feel that the actor’s voice is suited for the anti-hero character, many thought that Reeves should have played around a bit more with the role.
Fans felt that Reeves’ voice as Shadow was too reminiscent of his real voice, making it unsuitable for the fan-favorite character. As a result, several fans expressed a desire to have another actor, particularly Robert Pattinson voice Shadow instead of Reeves in Sonic 3.
Fans Feel Robert Pattinson Was a Better Pick Than Keanu Reeves For Sonic 3
After having mixed reactions to Reeves’ voice as Shadow, fans quickly suggested the name of The Batman star Robert Pattinson as their ideal pick for the role. The fan casting of Pattinson as the hedgehog with a more morally ambiguous personality first surfaced after an interview with the actor went viral.
In the interview, Pattinson allegedly cited 2001’s Sonic Adventure 2 game, which introduced the character of Shadow, as an inspiration for his performance as Bruce Wayne / Batman. While the interview was debunked as a fake, it sparked the rumors of Pattinson potentially voicing Shadow in the live-action adaptation.
Furthermore, Pattinson voiced The Gray Heron in the English dub of the 2023 Academy Award-winning animated film The Boy and the Heron. The role served as the perfect template for Pattinson voicing Shadow.
Moreover, Pattinson’s voice modulation between Batman and Bruce Wayne in The Batman also proves he could be a good Shadow. Despite the merits of casting Pattinson, Reeves is not a bad choice for the role. The makers likely wanted Reeves’ voice in particular for Shadow and fans will have to wait to see the movie to make a better judgement.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is scheduled to be theatrically released on December 20, 2024.
