It’s official: we’re all living in the strangest timeline. The sequel to 2020 movie adaptation of Sonic the Hedgehog is still in production, and it won’t be out for another eight months. However, today we got confirmation that not only will Knuckles be included in the furry cast, but he has a voice — and it’s none other than Idris Elba. Yes, that Idris Elba.
Hot off the release of The Suicide Squad, where he played Bloodsport, Elba went to Twitter with the reveal. He simply wrote “Knock, Knock…” along with a the hashtags #SonicMovie2 and #Knuckles, along with a close-up image of the echidna’s meaty mitts. Up until now, the only confirmed addition to Sonic’s squad was Tails. The existence of Knuckles was derived from nothing more than hints and rumors. Today, however, we can add him to the team. And he’s being voiced by Heimdall. Amazing.
The Sonic the Hedgehog 2 movie makes a slight jump in the timeline with the inclusion of Knuckles. Back in the original Sonic trilogy on the Sega Genesis, our red boy didn’t make an appearance until Sonic the Hedgehog 3. It would have been easy to assume that the second movie would focus on the original Sonic and Tails duo, but that’s not the case. Knuckles, however, may still take up the role as the third game’s semi-antagonist after being tricked by Dr. Robotnik.
Knock, knock….#SonicMovie2 #Knuckles pic.twitter.com/N1PW5XaCEd
— Idris Elba (@idriselba) August 10, 2021
Unlike Sonic I don’t chuckle
Having Idris Elba take on the role of Knuckles is certainly surprising, but not too surprising. The English actor has appeared in shows and films like Luther, Thor, and Pacific Rim. However, Elba has lent his voice to video games in the past, showing up in NBA2K20 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. He also starred in the Rainbow Six: Siege the Day short. I suppose a movie based on a game is a likely next step.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will zip into theaters on April 8, 2022.
