A new behind the scenes featurette for Sonic the Hedgehog 2 promises the eagerly anticipated sequel will be bigger and better, particularly thanks to the presence of Knuckles. Arriving exclusively in theaters next week, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 hopes to continue the surprise success of the first film, which was one of the few genuine box office hits of 2020. The original Sonic the Hedgehog famously needed to course-correct after immense fan backlash over the initial design for the titular speedster (voiced by Ben Schwartz). After doing so, it swiftly won over audiences on its way to a $146 million domestic total.

Now Sonic the Hedgehog 2 looks to expand on this with a sequel that brings in some major characters from the games. As teased in the first film's post-credits scene, Tails (Colleen O'Shaughnessey) has arrived in Green Hills to help Sonic keep the Chaos Emerald out of Dr. Robotnik's (Jim Carrey) hands. However, Tails isn't the only newcomer, as fiery Knuckles (Idris Elba) has teamed up with Robotnik to take the Emerald and destroy the world. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 also sees the returns of James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Adam Pally, and Natasha Rothwell.

Related: Sonic 2 Poster Hints The Sequel Is Fixing The First Movie's Game Issue

To increase the hype around Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Paramount Pictures has released a new video spotlighting the sequel and all the ways it's going bigger than ever. Featuring cast interviews and introductions for newcomers Tails and Knuckles, the clip suggests fans will have a lot to cheer over once the movie arrives in April. Check it out down below.

Click here to watch the video on YouTube.

The Sonic the Hedgehog 2 video also makes the cool decision to show snippets of the cast in the recording booth. O'Shaughnessey actually voices Tails in the games, making her inclusion in the film especially exciting. As for Elba, the internet erupted in cheers when he was cast as Knuckles last summer. The current debate is whether Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will portray a sexy Knuckles, though Elba has stated that isn't the case. Fans of Elba and his voice would say otherwise, though.

Sequels sometimes run a risk of being too much of a good thing when they try to exceed their originals. However, by bringing in classic elements from the games, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 can actually deliver on the movie fans have been waiting for. The first film revived their faith in the big screen franchise, and now the sequel can really dig into the mythology audiences love so much. Though the movie is still over a week away from release, the early buzz is favorable; the first online reactions to Sonic the Hedgehog 2 promised it's a lot of fun and is true to the games. Perhaps the new behind the scenes video actually isn't overhyping things too much.

More: Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Confirmation Supports The Best Sonic 2 Theories

Source: Paramount Pictures

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