Sonic The Hedgehog 3's Credits Scenes Indicate A Very Different Direction For The Franchise

This post contains major spoilers for "Sonic the Hedgehog 3."

The credits scene has become somewhat of a diluted art form over the past decade, with the important revelations of the early MCU days giving way to the more traditional (but less satisfying) mini Easter eggs or final jokes. "Sonic the Hedgehog 3," we're happy to report, is bringing back interesting credit scenes in a big way. Its bonus scene not only teases yet another installment of the franchise to come, but also introduces two characters from the much-loved Sega video game series who have yet to make their live-action big-screen debuts.

In case you blinked and missed it, here's a refresher on the mid-credits scene: Sonic (Ben Schwartz) is suddenly surrounded by an army of Metal Sonics, only to be saved by a hammer-wielding figure who turns out to be none other than pink-tufted icon Amy Rose. Also, Shadow (Keanu Reeves) is almost certainly still alive despite his eleventh-hour sacrifice to save the planet. It's a lot, and for fans of the video games and '90s kids everywhere, the mid-credits scene is a giddy-making nod to the game that GamesRadar once called the second-best Sonic game ever made: "Sonic CD."

According to interviews from the time, the 1993 game in question was originally expected to be a one-to-one port of the original "Sonic" game, which had come out two years earlier but wasn't yet available on the newly released Sega CD accessory. Somewhere along the way, though, developers including Naoto Ohshima decided to turn "Sonic CD" into its own distinct gaming experience, one that included features unique to its platform. The game goes all out with new music, a time-travel plot (you could play past and future versions of levels), and the introduction of Metal Sonic, a Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey in the film series) special.

And then there's Amy Rose. The spunky, heart-eyed pink hedgehog who's known for her unending infatuation with Sonic, her can-do attitude, and her giant Piko Piko hammer. As of publication time, the voice actor playing Amy Rose in any future "Sonic the Hedgehog" films has yet to be revealed, but with a lovable cast that already includes Keanu Reeves, James Marsden, Idris Elba, Jim Carrey, and Ben Schwartz, it seems likely that another familiar star will take on the role. It'll be great to have some more girl power in the series.

Though a fourth Sonic film hasn't officially been announced, the end credit teaser that all but promises that more "Sonic" seems like a pretty safe bet. The first two Paramount Sonic movies made bank even after debuting during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the third is tracking to beat out presumable money-maker "Mufasa" this weekend at the domestic box office. The new movie is also garnering positive first impressions, and producer Jeff Ascher was recently quoted (via ComicBook.com) saying, "There's such a rich universe of stories. I don't see us slowing down at all."

The next Sonic film — assuming it does happen — does not yet have a release date. "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" is now in theaters.