Actor Jim Carrey is reportedly set for another highly anticipated sequel following the buzz around Sonic the Hedgehog 3, leaving fans surprised by his unexpected career move.
The star is slated to take up not one, but two roles in the upcoming third instalment of the much-loved video game saga’s live-action adaptation. He’s poised to reprise his role as Dr Robotnik and additionally portray the antagonist’s grandfather.
This new film represents a new milestone for Carrey, marking the first time he has signed on for a third movie instalment reprising the same role, having had a history of side-stepping sequels.
Before Sonic 2’s debut in 2022, he had only ever returned for sequels twice in his illustrious career: with Ace Venture: When Nature Calls in 1995, and Dumb and Dumber To in 2014; the latter came out two decades post the original film, and meanwhile, a different-cast prequel dropped in between.
Carrey, who seemingly had an epiphany, shared with GamesRadar: “For me, at this time of my life for some reason I’ve never really wanted to do sequels. I’ve never really wanted to do franchise stuff. It didn’t occur to me. I just thought, ‘I want to move on and do something new’. Maybe six months before the first Sonic movie, I thought to myself I’d like to have a character that I could sit with for a bit for a few films. Especially if it could evolve, if it could change from film to film.
“Robotnik has been able to evolve in his look and his manner from film to film. Every time he gets defeated, he becomes more bitter and hostile. His megalomania gets ratched up and these inventions, the technological wonders that he keeps coming up with, keep topping themselves.”
Wales Online reports Carrey seemingly having a change of heart about sequels, fans are eagerly anticipating what could be next. The actor has already shared the conditions that would convince him to reprise two of his most iconic roles, The Grinch and Stanley Ipkiss from The Mask.
He told Comicbook.com: “Oh gosh, you know, it has to be the right idea. If somebody had the right idea, I guess… It’s not really about the money. I joke about the money… But I never know. You can’t be definite about these things. I said I’d like to retire, but I think I was talking more about power-resting. Because as soon as a good idea comes your way, or a group of people that you really enjoyed working with and stuff, it just things tend to change.”
He also outlined his prerequisites for a Grinch sequel, saying: “If we can figure out The Grinch… The thing about it is that, on the day, I had to do that with a ton of makeup, and I could hardly breath, and it was an extremely excruciating process.
“The children were in my mind all the time. ‘It’s for the kids, it’s for the kids, it’s for the kids.’ And now, with motion capture and things like that, I could be free to do some other things. Anything’s possible in this world.”
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is in cinemas December 21.