Sonic the Hedgehog 2 cast: who stars in new movie, and who is the voice of Knuckles and Tails?

Video game adaptation films are not normally a recipe for success (see Assassin’s Creed, Warcraft and the little talked about Super Mario Brothers) but 2020’s Sonic the Hedgehog bucked the curve.

The movie made more than £230 million worldwide, becoming one of the most successful video game movies of all time.

Sonic the Hedgehog the speedy blue hedgehog of the title, who teams up with a small town police to defeat the evil genius Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey).

The movie came out in February 2020, following a three month delay to fix the horrifying character design, but by May Paramount Pictures could smell the cash and a sequel was announced.

The sequel will find Dr Robotnik returning to earth with a new ally in tow, ready to wreak revenge on Sonic and his friends.

Who is in the Sonic 2 cast?

Ben Schwartz as Sonic

Schwartz will return to lend his voice to the CGI hedgehog and hero of the piece.

Schwartz is a comedy actor best known for playing the loveably irritating Jean-Ralphio in hit sitcom Parks and Recreation.

His other voice acting credits include as Banarnar in The Lego Movie 2, Rutabaga Rabitowitz in nine episodes of BoJack Horseman, Leonardo in Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and various roles in Robot Chicken.

Schwartz also played F. Tony Scarapiducci in the disappointing Space Force with Steve Carell.

He will also reprise his role as Leonardo for a TMNT movie which is currently in post-production.

Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik

Carrey is back as the evil scientist desperate to experiment on Sonic and discover the secret of his speed.

Carrey started out as a stand-up comic but landed dozens of leading comedy roles and launching to international fame with Ace Ventura, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber.

Other big roles include as Truman Burbank in The Truman Show, a man endowed with the power of God in Bruce Almighty, and the slimy green villain in How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Carrey has also had success with some dramatic roles such as the sci-fi romance Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and as Andy Kaufman in the biopic Man on the Moon.

Collen O’Shanussy as Tails

O’Shanussy voiced Tails, a fox with two tails who also happens to be a pilot, briefly in a mid-credits scene in the first Sonic movie, but has also voiced the character in the video games since 2014.

Tails is Sonic’s sidekick in the Sonic video games and when in flight can actually keep pace with the hedgehog.

O’Shanussy has more than 230 acting credits to her name, and is well known for voicing Janet Van Dyne (The Wasp) in several animated Avengers series.

She has also voiced Tails in the animated series Sonic Boom.

Idris Elba as Knuckles

Elba will enter the Sonic universe as Knuckles, an echidna (imagine an ant-eater with quills) who in the video games starts off as Sonic’s enemy but later becomes an ally.

In the sequel, Knuckles will team up with Dr. Robotnik to take on Sonic, Tom, and his new friend Tails.

Elba will primarily be known for his serious roles, such as the titular detective in the thriller series Luther.

He has played Heimdall, a close ally of Thor in five films in the Marvel franchise, and Bloodsport in The Suicide Squad.

Other voiceover roles include Fluke in Finding Dory, Shere Khan in The Jungle Book, and Chief Bogo in Zootropolis.

James Marsden as Tom

Marsden is back as Tom, the sheriff of Green Hills who befriended Sonic and saw off Dr. Robotnik in the first movie.

Marsden played Cyclops in the four instalments of the X-Men film series.

He took a leading role as Prince Edward in the fairytale spoof Enchanted and played Teddy Flood in sci-fi series Westworld.

Marsden played Stu Redman in the poorly timed Stephen King rebooted series The Stand which takes place in the aftermath of a devastating virus - and was released in the middle of the pandemic.

When does Sonic the Hedgehog 2 come out?

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will be released in cinemas on 1 April.