Knuckles might not be the only Sonic spin-off, as showrunner and producer Toby Ascher teases that they have further plans for the "future of Sonic."
"I think what’s great about the Sonic world is we have all these characters. They’ve come up through the games, they’ve come up through the comics, and they’re all interesting in their own right," Ascher tells 12DOVE ahead of the release of Knuckles when asked about possible future spin-offs.
For Ascher and his team, which includes producer Neal Moritz and director Jeff Fowler, it’s always been crucial that "stay ahead in [the] planning process" – which included Tails at the end of 2020’s Sonic the Hedgehog and bringing in Shadow the Hedgehog in the Sonic 2 post-credits scene.
"We have a really good plan for the future of Sonic," Ascher says. "As we grow these characters, what television has provided us with Knuckles is a moment to do a deep-dive character study into them. As we find stories we’re excited about, we’re going to hopefully continue to do this again."
Of course, Shadow may be the prime candidate for any future spin-off. According to recent reports, the Ultimate Lifeform will be voiced by Keanu Reeves – though Idris Elba was suitably guarded when we pressed him on the news.
Outside of that, there are plenty of Sonic characters who haven’t yet been introduced into the cinematic universe but are ripe for a spin-off. Amy, Rogue, Silver, and even Doctor Robotnik could all work, though maybe my big idea – a True Detective-style mystery starring Charmy Bee and Big the Cat – probably needs some work.
In the more immediate future, Knuckles - starring Idris Elba - hits Paramount Plus this week. Sonic 3 also speeds into cinemas this December and it's something Ascher described as taking a lot from Sonic Adventure 2.
Knuckles is premiering on Paramount Plus on April 26 in the US and April 27 in the UK.
For more, check out the new TV shows coming your way later this year.
