A new update has fans thinking a Keanu Reeves Shadow the Hedgehog movie may be in the works at Paramount Pictures and SEGA. Reeves debuted as the angsty anti-hero in Sonic The Hedgehog 3, adding another quilled character to the ongoing Sonic movie franchise. While he started the movie as a villain, Shadow eventually defected to Team Sonic, helping the Blue Blur take down the villainous Professor Gerald Robotnik. This left the character's future uncertain, with some speculating that Reeves' Sonic 3 character may return.
Shadow's return just became a whole lot more likely, thanks to a new trademark filing by Sonic rightsholder SEGA. The Japanese video game giant recently filed a new trademark for "Shadow the Hedgehog" (as spotted by fans on X), adding fuel to the Shadow the Hedgehog movie fire.
It is unclear which project this trademark could be related to, as there is no mention of games, movies, or TV shows in the filing.
There have been rumors of a potential Keanu Reeves-led Shadow movie or TV show since Sonic the Hedgehog 3's release. In June of this year, insider My Time To Shine Hello shared online that they had heard a Shadow spin-off was in the works, so there is a chance this new filing could be connected to that.
However, some have also speculated that this could be connected to the Sonic video games.
For years, a certain contingent of Sonic fans has been clamoring for either a remake or a full-fledged sequel to the 2005 cult classic, Shadow the Hedgehog game. So, this could also be a piece in SEGA ramping up toward that.
The Sonic franchise is set to return to the big screen on March 19, 2027, with Sonic the Hedgehog 4. The new film from SEGA and Paramount will once again star Ben Schweartz as the Blue Blur, as he crosses paths with new-to-the-franchise characters Amy Rose and Metal Sonic (read more about the Sonic 4 movie plot here).
How Likely Is a Shadow the Hedgehog Movie?
While the Sonic the Hedgehog movie franchise has proven to be one of the most consistently successful video game adaptations out there, it has not ventured too deeply into the world of spin-offs.
Outside of the Paramount+ streaming series, Knuckles (which was released between Sonic 2 and 3), no other spin-offs have been announced for the Sonic movies.
However, that could all change with a potential Shadow the Hedgehog project. Shadow is one of the most beloved characters in all of Sonic canon, standing only behind the Blue Blur himself. Bringing an actor like Keanu Reeves to play the character is something you only do if you see Shadow being a significant part of your plans moving forward.
Surely, he will pop up in some fashion in the upcoming Sonic 4, but it would not be all that surprising if he were to get a solo title all to himself. Whether that is a movie or not is another question.
Given the franchise's history of dipping its toes in the streaming waters, with a show like Knuckles, perhaps that would be the direction the franchise will go with a potential Shadow solo project, leaving the movies for Sonic while the characters around him get streaming spin-offs on Paramount+.
