Fans are getting excited as Sonic the Hedgehog 2 release date approaches. The trailer shows both Tails and Knuckles entering the storyline, promising that more of the characters from Sonic's world will come to join him on the big screen.
Although the second movie isn't even out yet, there have been rumors that Shadow will make an appearance in the third Sonic the Hedgehog film. With the films already having a pretty big cast of stars, it begs the question of who will voice this dark and edgy new hedgehog?
Liam Neeson
According to Reddit, Sonic the Hedgehog is one of the best video game movies, so Paramount Pictures can't just cast anyone for the role. Known for his many notable action movie roles, as well as the iconic Qui-Gon Jin in Star Wars, Liam Neeson has a knack for playing dark and brooding characters. His overall vibes match those of Shadow the Hedgehog very well.
It would be shocking if Neeson agreed to sign on solely due to the fact that he does more acting gigs rather than voicing gigs (with the exception of a small role in The Lego Movie and him voicing Aslan in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Neeson has a voice that would fit Shadow well, but since it's synonymous with several other characters, it might make it hard for him to solidify his role solely as Shadow.
Dave Bautista
Dave Bautista would be perfect for Shadow if Shadow wasn't as serious of a character. Although Bautista has the deep, gruff voice to play Shadow (and he can sound mysterious too), a lot of fans know he is less uptight and more friendly than the hedgehog appears to be.
Voice alone, Bautista wouldn't be a bad fit, but with how well Paramount Pictures has cast everyone else, including Idris Elba as Knuckles, for these movies, it wouldn't be surprising if the producers might look towards someone who has a bit more experience in this field.
Kurt Russell
Having played many bad guy roles, from Ego in Guardians of the Galaxy 2 to Stuntman Mike in Death Proof, Kurt Russell has built quite the rapport for himself. A lot of the characters he plays have very specific temperaments, toeing the line of being angry, conniving, and crafty.
He would play Shadow's dark side of his personality well, and his deep and brooding voice helps give him the edge to really sell the character. However, the issue is that Russell's voice is also well-known and is tied to certain characters that he has played (which may be one of the only downfalls of casting him as Shadow). If the casting director is willing to look over that, then Russell would make a wonderful moody Shadow.
Kevin Michael Richardson
With the experience he has behind him, Kevin Michael Richardson could also decide that he decide that he wants the opportunity to voice Shadow. From voicing characters in popular shows, like Family Guy, Young Justice, and What's New Scooby-Doo?, to famous characters in video games and movies, like Goro in the 1995 Mortal Kombat film, Richardson has proven himself to be a very versatile actor.
While he does have a very recognizable voice, he has shown time and time again that he can adapt to whatever character he is assigned. His great range and adaptability would make him a great option to voice Shadow the Hedgehog.
Pedro Pascal
Now commonly known as The Mandalorian, Pedro Pascal has been acting for quite some time. It wasn't until he took the role of Oberyn Martell on HBO's Game of Thrones that he became more prominent of an actor. That being said, he would be a good choice for the voice of Shadow for a few reasons.
For one, Pascal and Ben Schwartz have a very fun dynamic (as seen in the 2016 web series The Earliest Show, where Pascal shows up in episode 3). Moreover, although Shadow doesn't hold that same energy that the two give off in the web series, Pascal has proven in his best tv roles that he can play the dark-and-silent type well too. He would be a great addition to the movie.
James Earl Jones
Most iconically known for voicing Darth Vader in the Star Wars movies, and Mufasa in The Lion King, James Earl Jones would be a great actor to consider for voicing Shadow.
Not only does he have the perfect deep voice that would nail the edgy side of Shadow's character but it would also capture the hedgehog's overall personality perfectly.
Neil Kaplan
Neil Kaplan is a well-known voice actor. Starting in 1983, he first voiced Venger in the Dungeons and Dragons tv series before going on to voice Optimus Prime and the Green Goblin in their respective animated shows. He has also done voices for shows and video games exclusively, with a few rare exceptions.
Taking the role of Shadow would add to his extensive list of big-name characters that he has voiced. With the wide range of characters that he's done, he's truly proven himself to be able to adapt to whatever character he is handed. Being able to embody not only their voice but also their character is something that Kaplan is a professional at, which is why he would be a great candidate for voicing Shadow.
Adam Driver
Since he took on the role of Kylo Ren in the newest Star Wars trilogy and played Charlie Barber in Marriage Story, Adam Driver has become a much bigger name. Driver has proven that he can play dynamic roles very well, with a wide range of emotions (from very quiet, soft-spoken characters to ones that lash out and yell).
Plus, according to Reddit, fans want to see an R-rated Shadow the Hedgehog movie. If this happened and Driver was voicing Shadow, he would be able to let loose all of his emotions and deliver a very powerful character performance.
Jason Griffith
One of the more obvious choices would be Jason Griffith, who is the current voice actor for Shadow in the games. He previously voiced Sonic but has since switched to Shadow and fans love his voice for the character. Seeing as he has already embodied the character he would make the most sense, as well as he would probably be very likely to actually take on the role if he was offered it.
Die-hard Sonic the Hedgehog fans would appreciate the consistency of voices, but since all the other characters have been given new voices, that have all been cast well, a new actor wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.
Christian Bale
The best choice of actor to voice Shadow would be Christian Bale. He could use the voice he had when he played Batman, but maybe get rid of a little bit of the gruffness and it would fit Shadow perfectly. The character of Batman and Shadow have a lot in common - both dark, broody, emotionally, and live a loner lifestyle. In the grand scheme of things, the two are essentially one-in-the-same.
The likeliness of Bale signing on for the role of Shadow seems low, as his voice-acting career is limited, and the types of movies he does are typically action, dramas, and dark. While Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is guaranteed to have action, it might don't check off the other two boxes. Regardless, Bale would truly be the perfect actor to voice Shadow. Fans can only hope it ends being him who does.