Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Release Date Announced

Paramount Pictures has announced the release date for the next installment in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Variety reports that Sonic the Hedgehog 4 will zoom onto the big screen on March 19, 2027. This announcement comes two years after the release of the highly successful Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

The studio's confidence in a fourth film is understandable. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 raked in a substantial $218 million domestically and over $420 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film in the franchise to date. This success follows the impressive $148 million earned by the first film, a significant achievement considering the initial controversy surrounding Sonic's original design.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 also holds the distinction of being the second highest-grossing video game movie in North America, trailing only the animated Super Mario Bros. Movie, further fueling the ongoing cinematic rivalry between Nintendo and Sega.

The live-action Sonic universe continues to expand, boasting three feature films and a Knuckles-centric spin-off streaming series. The films follow Sonic (Ben Schwartz) as he confronts his arch-nemesis, Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey). Each film has introduced additional characters from the game series, including Tails (Colleen O'Shaughnessey) and Knuckles (Idris Elba), with Sonic the Hedgehog 3 finally introducing Shadow the Hedgehog (Keanu Reeves).

While Sonic the Hedgehog 3 hinted at the next character joining the franchise, we'll keep that a secret for now. For more details, including a guide to new characters and our review of Sonic 3, please check out our dedicated articles.