Sonic the Hedgehog Actor Discusses Expectations for Upcoming Crossover Films

Overview of Recent Sonic Developments

Ben Schwartz has expressed interest in a cinematic crossover featuring Sonic and Chris Pratt’s Mario.
Schwartz is also hopeful for a future adaptation of Super Smash Bros.
Paramount Pictures has confirmed that a fourth Sonic film is underway, promising the introduction of new characters.

The recently released Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has fans buzzing, and one of the film’s stars, Ben Schwartz, is eager to continue SEGA’s beloved blue hedgehog’s legacy by exploring exciting crossover opportunities.

Paramount Pictures has significantly invested in the Sonic franchise, launching a successful trilogy alongside the spin-off series, “Knuckles.”Ben Schwartz lends his voice to Sonic, joined by a stellar cast that includes Idris Elba as Knuckles, Colleen O’Shaughnessey as Tails, Keanu Reeves as Shadow, and Jim Carrey portraying Dr. Robotnik. With the confirmation of a fourth film on the horizon and the remarkable box office performance of their latest installment, the future appears promising for Sonic and his adventures, particularly in light of enticing post-credits sequences.

Ben Schwartz Advocates for Crossover Films

In a recent interview, Schwartz revealed his enthusiasm for crossover films, particularly those that unite Sonic with Mario. He highlighted the success of the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series, which catered to fans of both franchises across multiple iterations. Schwartz enthusiastically stated, “I love Chris Pratt. I think he’s amazing, and he plays Mario — which we probably shouldn’t talk about in this interview — but the ‘Olympic Games’ is great.” However, any collaboration would require negotiations between Universal Pictures and Paramount.

Furthermore, Schwartz aspires to see a cinematic take on Super Smash Bros., expressing the uniqueness of such a crossover opportunity. “What I really think could be bananas is if we get a Super Smash Bros. spinoff, but that would take so many different studios being kind to each other at the same time,” Schwartz elaborated. He added that if the project were to materialize, he would like to reprise his voice role as Sonic. Notably, Sonic is featured as a playable character in Bandai Namco’s acclaimed Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. With Universal’s Super Mario Bros. Movie achieving remarkable box office success in 2023, the idea of a collaborative move involving iconic video game characters is definitely appealing. There have even been reports of pitches to Illumination regarding such a film, yet no significant progress has been made, likely due to the complexities of legal agreements and character licensing.

“What I really think could be bananas is if we get a Super Smash Bros. spinoff, but that would take so many different studios being kind to each other at the same time. But the idea that we get to build our own franchise that lives on its own, and we have so many characters within this franchise, that we can do three, four, five, six — that’s what I’m concentrating on and that’s what I love. If you want to have a battle royale with a bunch of people we all love in video games, because I’m a video game nerd, I would not be against it. I would see if Paramount would let me go play.”

As anticipation builds for Sonic’s next cinematic venture, the recent teasers in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 suggest an exciting trajectory for the franchise. Currently, a fourth film is in the works, with a target release date set for 2027, featuring both returning and new characters.

You can catch Sonic the Hedgehog 3 now playing in theaters worldwide.

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