It has been confirmed that a third Sonic the Hedgehog movie will be made after Paramount+ signed off on the project earlier today. It has also been revealed that Paramount+ has also signed off on a Knuckles spinoff series for its TV subscription service as Sega continues to expand its IP to other forms of media.
First revealed by Deadline, the Knuckles spinoff series will air at some point in 2023 and will have Idris Elba return to his role as Knuckles. There was no date revealed for the third Sonic the Hedgehog movie, although we can likely expect it some time in 2024 if the gap between the first and second movie is anything to go by.
Speaking on the company's relationship with Paramount, Sega CEO Haruki Satomi claims that the two have a "remarkable partnership" and that Sega is "excited to continue expanding the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise with them." Satomi goes on to explain that 2022 is a "significant year for the franchise", what with both the second film expected to hit theaters in April and the next mainline Sonic game - Sonic Frontiers - to release during the holiday period.
Satomi doesn't go on to reveal any other Sonic projects, but it's likely more films and TV shows will come if these recently announced projects are a success. The Sonic franchise has a massive cast of colorful characters that could be adapted, with fan favorites like Shadow the Hedgehog and Metal Sonic billed as potential villains for Sonic to overcome.
The third Sonic the Hedgehog film and Knuckles spinoff series weren't the only projects that Paramount+ revealed today, with the studio also announcing that it has ordered a second season of the Halo TV show, of which the first season is expected to air on March 24 later this year. Paramount hasn't revealed any details other than that, but the first season is expected to take place in the same universe as the 2001 game and will include long-time characters such as Cortana and Master Chief.