I’ll take it over another year of mass layoffs
Sega said as much only a few days ago. They’veannounced a series of fan celebrationsforSonic Adventure 2’s Ultimate Lifeform, beginning in the traditional style with a Shadow-themed MotoGP bike and an associated LEGO tie-in. And now, the earth quakes underfoot as we learn viaThe Hollywood Reporterthat Keanu Reeves, forgotten star of 90s romantic drama A Walk in the Clouds and also those recent John Wick films, will play Shadow in the forthcoming movie adaptation Sonic 3.
As for Keanu Reeves, his videogame credits include Jonathan Harker in the NES adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and also, ugh, what’s it called, the cyperpunk one, I feel like he’s been in a cyberpunk game? Oh that’s right, Johnny Mnemonic: The Interactive Action Movie. Oh hang on, that wasn’t Keanu. It was Christopher Gartin, who also played “Sexy Waiter Scott” in Black Swan. I think Keanu makes a pretty natural Shadow, myself. He’s got the toneless antihero shtick down to a fine art and he’s also refreshingly happy to be the butt of the joke, as perthis scene from John Wick 4. He’ll appear in the film alongside Idris Elba’s Knuckles and Jim Carrey’s Dr Robotnik - Shadow’s creator. Seems like a team-up with decent comic chemistry. I hope the writing carries it. Perhaps they can do a tie-in with some of Keanu’s recent flicks and have the plot begin with somebody killing Shadow’s dog?
There’s no Sonic 3 movie release date yet, nor even a proper trailer. While you wait for more news, spare a thought for those videogame companies and their cross-media allies who must find what limelight they can in the face of a Shadow/Keanu team-up. Take heart, friends. We all survived the Year of Luigi, didn’t we?
