First Sonic the Hedgehog 3 trailer shows off Keanu Reeves as Shadow

Paramount has released the first trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and not only does it provide insight into the plot of the third installment, but it also serves as the first glimpse of the newest and long-rumored member of the cast — Shadow. Oh, and Keanu Reeves speaks in this as Shadow, too.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 arrives in movie theaters on December 20, and sees the return of Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, following their efforts to defeat Shadow, who seems to have escaped confinement. Amid the ensuing chaos, Sonic decides that teaming up with a depressed Doctor Robotnik is the best way to reach their goal. 

This is, of course, the return of Jim Carrey as Doctor Robotnik, who at one point in the trailer says “if I can’t rule the world, I might as well save it”. But let’s be honest, the big excitement here is Keanu Reeves. 

Rumors of Reeves’ role in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 began right back with the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, which featured a short clip of Shadow at the very end. Many names were thrown into the ring as Shadow’s possible voice actor, but Reeves quickly became the go-to guess for many people.

Reeves’ involvement was confirmed back in April, but it’s nice to finally see Shadow get some moments to shine during the trailer. We’re going to get a lot of information about Shadow’s backstory, and many action-packed battles between not only good and evil on the streets of London, but also inner battles as well.