Jim Carrey explains why he returned for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 after saying he was retiring. “I need the money.”
Two years ago, Jim Carrey said he was retiring unless “the angels bring some sort of script that’s written in gold ink,” but the actor returned for Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Does this mean the Sonic sequel was that magical gold ink script? Not quite.
“That night’ve been hyperbole, yeah,” said Carrey when asked about his past comments on the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 red carpet. “I came back to this universe because I get to play a genius, which is a bit of a stretch. And you know, I bought a lot of stuff and I need the money, frankly.“
Carrey naturally reprised his role of Dr. Ivo Robotnik for Sonic the Hedgehog 3, but he actually pulls double duty as Gerald Robotnik, Ivo’s grandfather and the creator of Shadow the Hedgehog. Director Jeff Fowler knew they wanted Carrey to play both roles, but he acknowledged that it was “such a big ask” as Carrey would have twice the amount of work (and twice the pay cheque?) Thankfully, Carrey was down. “I don’t know what we would’ve done,” Fowler told EW last month. “I don’t even want to think about this.”
The official synopsis for Sonic the Hedgehog 3: “Sonic the Hedgehog returns to the big screen this holiday season in his most thrilling adventure yet. Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails reunite against a powerful new adversary, Shadow, a mysterious villain with powers unlike anything they have faced before. With their abilities outmatched in every way, Team Sonic must seek out an unlikely alliance in hopes of stopping Shadow and protecting the planet.” The first reactions have been positively glowing, with many calling it the best installment of the trilogy.
James Marsden reprises his role as Tom Wachowski in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the sheriff of Green Hills. Other returning cast members include Ben Schwartz as Sonic the Hedgehog, Colleen O’Shaughnessey as Miles “Tails” Prower, Idris Elba as Knuckles the Echidna, Tika Sumpter as Maddie Wachowski, Tom Butler as Commander Walters, Lee Majdoub as Agent Stone, and, of course, Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik/Gerald Robotnik. New members of the cast include Krysten Ritter, James Wolk, Sofia Pernas, Cristo Fernández, and Jorma Taccone, as well as Alyla Browne, who is said to be playing Maria.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will hit theaters on December 20th.
