Sonic 4: Everything we know so far about Sonic the Hedgehog's next adventure

Sonic 4 is in the works, with a release date already set for the sequel. It's a few years away, but that's OK, because even speedy hedgehogs and their pals need to pace themselves.

Following the Sonic 3 post-credit scene, we have a rough idea of what's next for Sonic and his friends Tails and Knuckles, too. After facing their biggest threat to date with the arrival of Shadow (voiced by Keanu Reeves) in Sonic 3, they have a robotic menace to deal with. But they also have some extra help in a certain, pink ally.

Sonic 4 was announced by Paramount even before the release of Sonic 3, and since the threequel ended up grossing close to $472 million worldwide, the confidence is appropriate. With the Sonic 3 ending teasing an exciting team-up, what can we expect from the upcoming Sonic 4? Are we going to meet new characters? Will Jim Carrey come back?

Here's everything there is to know about Sonic 4 release date, cast, plot, and more. Just remember, hold onto your rings and don't trust any evil doctors.

Sonic 4 release date

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is due to hit theaters on March 19, 2027.

The news was confirmed just weeks after Sonic 3 hit screens. However, the franchise is switching things up by releasing the fourth installment during the spring, unlike Sonic 3 which hit screens in December 2024.

Sonic 4 plot

While Paramount has not released an official synopsis at this time, Sonic fans have a few theories on what kind of storyline the fourth instalment might follow.

Sonic 3 ended with Team Sonic (Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Tom, and Maddie) surviving, and Robotnik and Shadow seemingly perishing in the explosion. But the action doesn't stop there the Sonic 3 mid-credits scene introduces new characters Amy Rose and an army of Metal Sonics. And fans seem to think this means those in-game characters will be the stars of the next movie, just like how the first Sonic movie teased Tails, and the sequel introduced Shadow.

In this respect, it looks like the fourquel’s antagonist may be the Metal Sonics, and the movie could follow Team Sonic’s battle against a robotic army. But Sonic shouldn't worry as it looks like he will have a new face on his side, Amy Rose. We feel pretty confident in this as Sonic 3 writers Pat Casey and Josh Miller told us that Amy Rose almost had a bigger role in number 3 aside from the post-credits scene and that they have a "great plan" for the future.

However, with how the threequel ended, Robotnik death is not certain, There is even leaked Sonic 3 concept art which reveals that the movie either almost included Robotnik using time travel or featured a parallel universe. Another still shows Metal Sonic standing next to Emperor Eggman – could this be explored in Sonic 4?

It's certainly possible, and follows the recent trend of Sonic movies being inspired by its video games. Sonic 3, of course, was a loose adaptation of Sonic 3. The inclusion of Metal Sonic may hint at the series closing in on Sonic CD territory. In the 1993 title, Sonic raced through various points in time to stop a 'bad future' ruled over by Eggman and his heavy, Metal Sonic.

Sonic 4 cast: predicted returning characters

Much like the synopsis, Paramount is yet to release an official cast list at this time. However, with the way Sonic 3 ended, we can hazard a guess on which characters will be returning. Check out our predicted cast list below:

Ben Schwartz as Sonic The Hedgehog
James Marsden as Tom Wachowski
Tika Sumpter as Maddie Wachowski
Idris Elba as Knuckles
Colleen O'Shaughnessey as Tails

Of course, it will be no surprise to see Schwartz return as Sonic – how would there be a Sonic movie without him? The same goes for Sonic’s best friends Tails and Knuckles, alongside Sonic’s human allies Tom and Maddie.

As for the baddies, Robotnik appeared to have perished at the end of Sonic 3 in the explosion, but we never actually saw him die. Although the creators have a mass of villains to choose from, from the Sonic games, there would be a huge hole in the franchise without Carrey – who has starred in all three Sonic movies so far. But at this point, it is not clear if Robotnik will be reuniting, and the same goes for Reeves’ Shadow.

In terms of new characters, fans have already been calling out for a few faces from the games to join the series. Amy and Metal Sonic are surely locked in, but don't be surprised to see the usual post-credits scene spring a few new surprises and fresh faces, such as Rouge. Make sure to bookmark this tab to keep up with any cast announcements.

Is there a Sonic 4 trailer?

Unfortunately, there is no Sonic 4 trailer or even teaser at this point. Paramount Pictures released the first full Sonic 3 trailer on August 27, 2024 – that's four months before the movie dropped. Based on those calculations, we can expect the Sonic 4 trailer sometime in late 2026 to early 2027. But we are secretly hoping to get at least a teaser a little sooner.

Will Sonic 4 be the last movie in the franchise?

There has been no confirmation on whether or not Sonic 4 will be the last movie in the Sonic movie franchise. However, in an interview with GamesRadar+, voice actor Schwartz said "We better do a thousand of these," in response to whether they’ll be more sonic movies. Marsden added, "we hopefully get to keep making them". So who knows how many more Sonic movies are on the horizon?

For more, check out our picks of the best video game movies of all time, or keep up with other upcoming movies.