The first film adaptation of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, released in 2020, set up a future for Ben Schwartz's titular blue blur. Now, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is set to release in April, introducing Sonic's sidekick Tails the Fox and rival Knuckles the Echidna. Suffice to say, but the Sonic cinematic universe (or, SCU) is now underway.
Throughout the countless entries in the Sonic the Hedgehog games, Sonic is joined on his adventures by many colorful characters. Tails and Knuckles are only the beginning, with many more fan favorite characters possibly on the way. Hopefully these friends and foes of Sonic make their debut in the confirmed third installment — or beyond.
10 Cream The Rabbit
Cream and her Chao sidekick Cheese made their first appearance in Sonic Advance 2, before having a more prominent role in the star-studded Sonic Heroes. Cream's main ability is flight, like Tails, though Cream does so by flapping her big ears. The perfect casting for Cream would be Mckenna Grace from Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
Because of her relationship to Cheese, Cream's appearance could also lead to the introduction of Chaos to the Sonic films. After their appearance in the Chao Garden in Sonic Adventure, Chaos have become a source of nostalgia for Sonic enthusiasts. Getting to see them in live-action could be very emotional for long-time fans.
9 Big The Cat
Big the Cat is an infamous character in the Sonic franchise, notably for his playable appearance in Sonic Adventure. In that game, Big is on the hunt for his best friend Froggy, who goes missing. This leads the dim-witted Big to run into many of his anthropomorphic allies during their battles with Chaos.
It would make sense for Big's role to be comic relief, especially if the filmmakers keep original voice actor Jon St. John. Fitting Big the Cat into the high-stakes action of a Sonic the Hedgehog movie probably wouldn't be an easy challenge, but it would certainly delight hardcore fans. Maybe Big is unexpectedly the one to save the day!
8 E-102 Gamma / E-123 Omega
These E-series robots would be interesting additions to the SCU, since the presence of Jim Carrey's Robotnik already lays the groundwork for their introduction. Gamma appears as a playable character in Sonic Adventure, created by Dr. Eggman. However, he becomes an ally of Amy Rose and eventually helps defeat the evil scientist.
Gamma sadly doesn't survive the climactic ending of Sonic Adventure, but the character essentially lives on through E-123 Omega, who first appears in Sonic Heroes as a guardian of Shadow the Hedgehog. Nevertheless, either of the E-series robots would make for dangerous enemies of Sonic, until he's able to befriend them.
7 Blaze The Cat & Silver The Hedgehog
Blaze the Cat was the first of this duo to appear in Sonic Rush for Nintendo DS. She appears alongside Silver's debut in Sonic the Hedgehog for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, otherwise known as "Sonic '06." This time traveling duo appear in the game to prevent Sonic from destroying Silver's timeline, though the three later become allies.
Possibly the biggest hurdle for Silver and Blaze to overcome in appearing in a future Sonic the Hedgehog movie is the negative critic and fan reception to Sonic '06. However, this appearance could even be a redemption of sorts. The perfect casting would be Evan Peters as Silver and Elizabeth Olsen as Blaze.
6 Team Chaotix
This trio consisting of Espio the Chameleon, Victor the Crocodile, and Charmy the Bee first appeared together in Knuckles' Chaotix, a spin-off game for the Sega 32X. However, they made their debut in the mainline series in Sonic Heroes. In that game, Espio, Victor, and Charmy all work together in a detective agency.
With Knuckles being introduced in the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 2, this opens the door for the Chaotix Crew to appear sooner rather than later in the SCU. It could also be a great opportunity for an all-star voice cast. Victor could be voiced by Jack Black, Charmy could be voiced by Michael Cera, and Espio could be voiced by Pedro Pascal.
5 Mighty The Armadillo
Mighty has been a long-dormant character in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. His first appearance was in an arcade release titled SegaSonic the Hedgehog, though he later made his console debut alongside the Chaotix Crew in Knuckles' Chaotix. Mighty didn't make it to Sonic Heroes, and has been relegated to cameo appearances since.
However, Mighty's personality as a character would make for an interesting perspective in a potential Sonic the Hedgehog film. Mighty is a pacifist who detests violence, but he does fight when there's no other option. Having a character like Mighty interact with the U.S. government in a Sonic movie would be rife with conflict.
4 Babylon Rogues
This trio was introduced in the racing game Sonic Riders for GameCube and PlayStation 2. Consisting of Jet the Hawk, Storm the Albatross, and Wave the Swallow, these thieves are descendants of Babylonians. The longtime existence of this group gives them the potential for a lore-filled appearance in a Sonic movie.
However, they've only appeared in spin-off titles like Sonic Riders or the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series. Unless a future movie in the SCU happened to be Fast and Furious-inspired, their feature film debut remains unlikely. However, it would definitely be appealing to hardcore Sonic the Hedgehog fans.
3 Fang The Sniper
Die-hard Sonic fans are probably familiar with the arcade title Sonic the Fighters. The game was re-released in Sonic Gems Collection for GameCube and PS2, exposing more fans to the exclusive characters from Sonic spin-off games. One of these characters is Fang the Sniper, a purple wolf fitted with a cowboy hat and pistol.
While Fang the Sniper has yet to re-appear in the Sonic franchise aside from cameos, his design is a stand-out among minor Sonic the Hedgehog characters. Perhaps a future Sonic movie can find a good use for Fang. If the live-action Sonic ever finds himself in a Wild West setting, this would be a perfect opponent for him.
2 Chaos
Chaos is the primary antagonist of Sonic Adventure, seen as a deity among the Chao. If a Sonic movie was to ever introduce the Chao, it would stand to reason that the liquid-like Chaos would also make an appearance. This would also make for a very high-stakes battle for live-action Sonic, as Chaos grows in form as the game goes on.
However, like most non-Eggman Sonic villains, Chaos is also an occasional ally of Sonic. Particularly when it comes to a Chao being in danger, Chaos is known to be protective and good-hearted. If the SCU team is looking for a good villain, there are perhaps better options than Chaos, such as Shadow, Rouge, or Metal Sonic.
1 Mario
Mario and Sonic have been rivals for many years, and have played minor roles in each other's series. They compete against each other in the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games franchise, featuring characters from the series participating in athletic competitions. Perhaps their paths can cross once more, this time on the big screen.
With the release of the upcoming Super Mario movie, starring Chris Pratt as Mario, Nintendo is beginning their own cinematic universe. Eventually, it would be cool to see Chris Pratt's Italian plumber cross paths with Ben Schwartz's blue hedgehog. It could even be a Spider-Man: No Way Home-sized event movie, if done right.