Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was one of the final major film releases of 2024, hitting theaters on December 20. The live-action film, directed by Jeff Fowler, is the third installment in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, which includes the Paramount+ spinoff series Knuckles.
The cast includes returning stars Jim Carrey, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Lee Majdoub, Natasha Rothwell, and Adam Pally, along with newcomers Krysten Ritter and Jorma Taccone. The voice cast includes Ben Schwartz as Sonic, Idris Elba as Knuckles, and Colleen O’Shaughnessey as Tails, with John Wick star Keanu Reeves making his debut as Shadow the Hedgehog.
At the time of writing, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has reached a worldwide total of $210.6 million, composed of $136.6 million in North America and $74 million internationally. It has already outgrossed several notable films, including IF, Bob Marley: One Love, Smile 2, and Mean Girls. With a break-even point of $305 million, it still needs to reach a higher total to be considered a success.
The film opened alongside Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King and potentially delayed its international release to avoid competition. Despite this, it debuted at number one and is expected to continue to perform well. If it reaches a total of $261 million, it will become the highest-grossing film in the franchise, surpassing the original film’s worldwide total.
As the biggest-budgeted Sonic film, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 had a lot riding on its success. The film’s reported budget was $122 million, with a break-even point of $305 million. However, if the film performs as well as expected, it could quickly break even and become the highest-grossing film in the franchise, justifying the development of Sonic the Hedgehog 4, which was announced before the film’s release.
