The third part of the adventures of the fastest hedgehog in Sega video games lands in theaters on Christmas Day
The first installment of Sonic was released on January 25, 2020, and became the second highest-grossing film of the year, as well as setting the record for biggest opening weekend for a film based on a video game in the United States and Canada. It was evident that a sequel was going to be released sooner or later.
And that’s how two years later, on April 8, 2022, Sonic 2, the movie, would be released. a larger delivery that received better reviews than its predecessorwith juicy new additions to its cast, such as the voice of Idris Elba for the character of Knuckles. It would end up grossing twice as much as the first installment, $403.8 billion, and became the fifth highest-grossing video game adaptation of all time.
Jim Carrey, of course, was still the star of Sonic 2playing the villain Robotnik, a role he now repeats, and twice, in the third installment, Sonic 3which will be released exclusively in theaters on next December 25.
In SensaCine We have been able to speak with him, so that he can tell us a little more about his double role, his co-stars and a little more about the blue hedgehog, all of this, of course, with his particular and hilarious sense of humor.
How does it feel to return to the Sonic universe?
I’ve never left the Sonic universe! Where else could I go? The Sonic universe encompasses everything. Only a moron would try to quantify it. I think it was Carl Sagan who said: “For creatures as insignificant as us, immensity is only bearable if we collect all 50 rings or find a chaos emerald.” It’s not a literal quote, of course. What Carl Sagan said was completely different, but I’m sure he was a big Sonic fan, so I don’t think he cared.
What has the path you have taken in this film been like for you?
It has been a hilarious dance of joy and creative exaltation; friendship and buffoonery. I receive everything I ask for, when I ask the universe for something. And in this case, I asked for a cool franchise that would captivate kids around the world and the kid in all of us. And you know one thing? Pumbaa! I’m in that! This is how far I’ve come, through the Sega wormhole.
What has Robotnik been up to since we last saw him?
Since we last saw Robotnik, he’s been gorging himself on carbs; he has let his hair grow; He has swallowed soap operas non-stop and has bloated himself like a balloon… sorry, I should say that he has become gravitationally disadvantaged. He has entered a bottomless downward spiral. It’s the kind of heartbreak that only happens to a guy who is really bad at losing.
Robotnik has entered a bottomless downward spiral. It’s the kind of heartbreak that only happens to a guy who’s really bad at losing.
What news does it bring? Sonic 3?
What’s new are its epic proportions. It has an enormous scale, due to the work of [los productores] Neal Moritz, Toby Ascher and [el director] Jeff ‘Cecil B. De’ Fowler. It’s gigantic. It seems incredible that it’s a movie about a hedgehog.
What threats do Sonic and his friends face in this movie?
In Sonic 3Team Sonic faces a new enemy, called Shadow. He’s faster than Sonic, stronger than Knuckles, and with his teleportation powers, he seems invincible. Can’t you guess who they have to ally with to combat this powerful being? Spoiler alert: With the evil Robotnik! But the plot twist occurs when Ivo’s diabolical grandfather, Gerald, enters the scene and gives new meaning to his grandson’s life. Ivo is stunned, I won’t tell you more.
How has Robotnik evolved in each of these films?
At this point, Robotnik’s bitterness has blossomed and transformed everything into a botanical garden of animosity. And like I said before, it’s getting bushels, you know, it’s expanding… horizontally, and mind you, I don’t have a problem with that… but your pancreas is about to fold the napkin.
How are Ivo and Gerald alike?
You know what they say, ‘like father, like son’. Gerald and Ivo have that unbreakable bond with the dark side that all families feel at holiday celebrations. One thing the family has in common is helplessness. Ivo was a helpless child… because Gerald deliberately abandoned him. Robotnik grew up in an orphanage, longing for the day he would find someone who would love him. Something that remotely resembled a family. Christmas was a particularly difficult time.
How did you react when you were approached to play two Robotniks in this film?
I loved it, I was elated. I was dying to get to work. But after a few weeks I realized that I was working twice as hard for the same salary. What things! But you have to accept it with sportsmanship. Next time you’ll have to offer me a couple of chaos emeralds.
I was dying to get to work. But after a few weeks I realized that I was working twice as hard for the same salary. What things!
What did you do to get into the roles of Ivo and Gerald?
Ivo’s look was created by my good friend and Oscar-winning makeup artist Billy Corso, who I have worked with for decades. And he passed the baton to Mark Coulliette, another makeup artist and makeup designer who has also won an Oscar, and Mark has designed a great look for Gerald. With some of the craziest facial makeup I’ve ever worn in my entire life, getting into the role was a piece of cake.
What makes Keanu Reeves Is he suitable for the role of Shadow?
Keanu is perfect because Shadow has a dark side that is both sympathetic and melancholic, and Keanu masters that type of character perfectly.
What is the secret that makes Jeff Fowler a great director?
Jeff Fowler is a very special human being. It’s a charm. He makes life easier for everyone, but he’s not a softie. He knows I need a break from time to time, and he gives it to me. Let me vent and then tell me the truth, if necessary. First he gives you free rein, and then he pulls the reins, so you know who’s boss. At one point I thought that perhaps Jeff Fowler was not human, because he is capable of handling a thousand things at once, but I have never heard him raise his voice, nor have I seen him get overwhelmed, nor say one word louder than another. . Sometimes I worry, because when it ends up exploding, we’re going to find out what a comb is worth. In any case, I am always somewhere between amazed and enthusiastic about the level he achieves with these films. A couple of times I sat on set thinking, ‘This is the most expensive slapstick ever.’ This film is absurdity cubed.
Why do you think audiences love this franchise and these characters so much?
Sonic is a heroic, small, unbeatable team player, and people love the games. The characters you loved growing up end up being part of your identity. They have a privileged place in your mind. The fans know much more than we do about the characters, and so far their contributions have been invaluable. If you don’t do it for them, who are you going to do it for?
The fans know much more than we do about the characters, and so far their contributions have been invaluable. If you don’t do it for them, who are you going to do it for?
Why is it so fun to play Robotnik?
There’s no doubt that the best reason to play Robotnik is that you get paid to slag off non-stop at work. Isn’t that what we all want to do? It’s fun to be able to say the first crazy thing that comes to mind, to be a bag of obtuse and malicious narcissism. It looks great on the big screen. In real life, not so much.
Sonic and his team have incredible superpowers. In real life, what superpower would you like to have?
It’s something I get asked all the time: ‘Jim, what superpower would you like to have?’ It is a very, very common question. I guess it would have to be the power to change the smell of my farts, making them smell like orange blossom or honeysuckle. All the other superpowers have been asked for by someone else before.