If you logged onto social media this morning and wondered why “HE HAS A GUN” and “HE’S ON THE MOON” were trending, let me assure you: it’s extremely normal to wonder. And the answer? Of course, a up-to-date trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 debuted this morning. What, that wasn’t obvious?
The latest look at the long-awaited three-piece has given us quite a lot, including glimpses of Chuck E. Cheese’s take on Chao Garden and more madness from Jim Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik. But most importantly, according to Very Sonic fans on social media: they gave Shadow a gun.
Among the various looks at the Sonic v. Shadow action in the trailer, we get a quick look at Shadow (voiced here by none other than Keanu Reeves) with, yes, a gun. Shade has has made waves in one video game before – in his own 2005 title, Shadow the Hedgehog – but it’s secure to say fans didn’t expect to see it in the Paramount film series.
“He has a gun, that shit means something to me man,” @UltimaShadowX wrote on X/Twitter. Others jumped in with cries of “THEY DID IT, THEY REALLY DID IT” and “oh shit, I’m definitely going to faint,” while some streamers posted their surprised reactions live.
HE HAS A GUN. I REPEAT.
THE SHADOW HAS A GUN 🗣️🗣️ pic.twitter.com/EkkZfogFCJ— JustJess 🕹️ (@JessAdel) November 25, 2024
SONIC BE CAREFUL, HE HAS A GUN pic.twitter.com/0bCEAqjyF5
— It’s coming (@Vindo_YT) November 25, 2024
Really, the Sonic community is there lose it on this: as of the press date, top post on the Sonic the Hedgehog subreddit there is simply a screenshot from the trailer titled “THE BACK IS BACK PEOPLE, I REPEAT, THE BACK IS BACK”
But in all seriousness, some were downright pleased to see the film giving shout-outs to the 2005 match. “I’m sorry but I can’t get over the fact that he has a gun.” – wrote one fan. “It’s so crazy to me that they even appreciate Shadow 05 in the movie. I never thought I’d see such positive appreciation for him again.”
Another fan he noted that he, too, appeared to be riding a bike from the 2005 game. “The references to Shadow 2005 are just crazy” added one. “THEY COOKED SO HAAARD”
Even though the famed Sega character only used a gun in one game, “Shadow with a Gun” has long been relevant to fans. We are sure so I’ve seen memes. However, Sonic Team boss Takashi Iizuka recently said this Video Game Chronicle that there’s a good chance we won’t see Shadow with a gun in the game again.
“When we talk about Shadow, he used whatever he needed at that moment to do his job. So he would reach for a gun or ride a bike to get the job done – that’s his character,” he said at the time. “But he’s also incredibly powerful on his own, and he doesn’t really need a weapon or anything because he can do it himself – he’s a weapon. As long as Shadow doesn’t have to use a weapon, he probably won’t be used by one.”
Well, at least the fans who did Down I want to see this movie, which will be released in theaters on December 20. For more information, in the meantime, read our review of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, which we said “brings all the humor and charm of its predecessor while being charmingly more loyal to the source material.”
Alex Stedman is a senior news editor at IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she’s not writing or editing, she can be found reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.
