STACK #214 August 2022

FEATURE MOVIE

Knuckles is what Knuckles does.” Elba’s steely Knuckles is the perfect counterpoint to Ben

Schwartz’s manic energy as Sonic. “We could not have been luckier in getting Idris to voice Knuckles,” says director Jeff Fowler, who also helmed the 2020 original. “His voice has such dramatic weight. But he also understands the character’s humour. Knuckles is a badass fighter, but there’s also this unexpected fun part to him, and Idris had a great time playing with that and making it his own.” For Jim Carrey, returning to the role of Dr. Robotnik provided the opportunity to go even bigger with a character who, in the first film, was already an ultimate villain. “He just gets bigger and bigger, and more and more of an egomaniac,” says the actor, who tapped into his unique talent for outrageous comedy seen in hit films Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Dumb and Dumber . “He’s become increasingly frustrated about being bested by puny minds, like Sonic’s. Now, vengeance is job one for Robotnik. Number two, of course, is world domination and the enslavement of humanity. With the help of the Master Emerald, Robotnik wants to transcend his totally dysfunctional, if brilliant, mind and become a demigod,” he explains. In following up on the success of the original film, director Fowler realised he had to go bigger. “The action is bigger, as is the humour and heart. And audiences will connect with Sonic in an even bigger way. He’s such a relatable

• Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is out on Aug 10

SEGA’s iconic blue mascot returns in the blockbuster sequel Sonic the Hedgehog 2 , and this time Idris Elba is along for the ride. Words Gill Pringle

S onic the Hedgehog has become such a beloved icon that even Idris Elba wanted in on the sequel, portraying Dr. Robotnik’s new ally, Knuckles the Echidna, alongside Jim Carrey and Ben Schwartz reprising their roles of Robotnik and Sonic, respectively, and James Marsden returning as Tom. In this next-level adventure, our little blue friend has settled in Green Hills, eager to prove that he has what it takes to be a true hero. Sonic’s test comes when the villainous Dr. Robotnik returns, this time with a new partner, Knuckles, in search of an emerald that has the power to destroy civilisations. Sonic teams up with his own new sidekick, Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey), embarking on a globetrotting journey to find the emerald before it falls into Robotnik’s hands. “Sonic was one of my first gaming heroes. I never thought, in a million years, that I’d have the chance to be a part of the Sonic

Knuckles, voiced by Idris Elba

figure in his search for friendship while trying to understand his purpose.” Naturally, Fowler hopes audiences will invest in the

the Hedgehog phenomenon,” says Elba of this sequel, once again based on the global blockbuster video game franchise from SEGA. Embracing the opportunity to voice Knuckles and, as he puts it, “explore and then create his sound,” Elba admits the process was challenging. “It was a bit of a journey for me to come up with Knuckles’ voice. Is he American? English? So, I appreciated the chance to explore different Sonic sounds, and different places my voice could go with him. It was a lot of fun.” Most of all, he appreciated Knuckles’ journey, as well as his heart and soul. “He doesn’t understand lying or dishonour,” he

new characters too.

“You want the audience to fall in love with Knuckles and Tails the same way they fell for Sonic in the first film.”

DON'T MISS

MORE SONIC AND KNUCKLES ON THEWAY Paramount Pictures have announced a third Sonic movie is in development, along with a Knuckles live-action/animation spin-off series, with Idris Elba returning as the voice of the red echidna. The box office success of Sonic 2 and positive reaction to Knuckles is set to kickstart a Sonic Cinematic Universe!

explains. “There’s no grey area with Knuckles. He also doesn’t understand humour or emotion, so I played with Knuckles’ dryness and the way he can’t fathom the craziness surrounding him.

Jim Carrey as Dr Robotnik

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