Jim Carrey has hinted at retirement recently, but let’s not call it official just yet. Variety reports that the actor will return as Dr. Robotnik in the upcoming “Sonic The Hedgehog 3.” The previous two movies in the franchise are Carrey’s only films this decade, so it’s little surprise he returns. But then again, it’s unlikely the script for “Sonic The Hedgehog” is “written in gold ink” like Carrey stated a future project would need to be for him to star in another movie.
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It was unclear if Dr. Robotnik would be back for a new sequel after “Sonic The Hedgehog 2.” That film (spoiler alert) ends with Carrey’s villain falling, seemingly fatally, from a giant robot he’s operating against the titular hedgehog hero. But a post-credits scene reveals that Robotnik’s body wasn’t found, leaving his return open. Paramount hoped Carrey would be back, given the previous two film’s box office success. The 2020 film and its 2022 sequel made nearly $871 million combined globally, so successful that the studio greenlit a spin-off series “Knuckles” for their streamer Paramount+. No word if Carrey will make an appearance in that, though.
Carrey joins other returning cast members James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, and Lee Majdoub in the upcoming sequel. Ben Schwartz also returns to voice Sonic, with Colleen O’Shaughnessey as Tails and Idris Elba as Knuckles. Newcomers this time around include Kristen Ritter, Alyla Brown, and James Wolk, all in undisclosed roles.
Jeff Fowler also returns to direct “Sonic The Hedgehog 3.” Neal H. Moritz, Toby Ascher, Toru Nakahara, and Hitoshi Okuna lead as producers. The film hits theaters later this year on December 20.
It’s not a huge surprise that Carrey returns for “Sonic The Hedgehog 3,” but will he ever act in anything beyond Paramount’s franchise? That remains to be seen.
