2020’s Sonic the Hedgehog movie captured the hearts of audiences with a combination of nostalgia, fresh ideas, and Jim Carrey. But while that first element may have been lacking for some viewers, it looks like the upcoming sequel intends to crank it up just a tad. When audiences finally get to enjoy the highly-anticipated follow-up, long-time Sonic fans may find themselves hearing at least one comfortably recognizable performance.
Colleen O’Shaughnessey, veteran voice actress and the performer behind Miles “Tails” Prower in pretty much every Sonic project since Sonic Boom (as well as Charmy the Bee in a few others), has just confirmed that she will indeed be returning to reprise her role in the 2nd Sonic the Hedgehog movie from Paramount Pictures. Many sharp-eared viewers will likely have already expected this news, as O’Shaughnessey had already shown up as Tails in a cameo during the previous film’s post-credits scene. But it’s good to finally hear it officially.
O’Shaughnessey made the confirmation on Twitter with an enthusiastic post. “Taking my old pal Tails for another adventure,” she announced. “Thrilled to announce I’m the voice of Miles ‘Tails’ Prower in #SonicMovie2! Can’t wait for y’all to see him on the big screen.” Fans were quick to respond with their own words of excitement and congratulations, with even the official Sonic Twitter account joining in the fun. This news comes during an exciting time for Sonic the Hedgehog fans, as they also get to enjoy a new film poster featuring Tails and a fresh trailer to amp up their hype for the sequel’s release next year.
It’s pretty interesting and pleasantly surprising to see at least one of the voice-over artists from the games make the jump to the big screen. Considering how Sonic and Dr. Robotnik both ended up with celebrity actors (granted, less surprising with Robotnik, given his status as “not a cartoon”), some may have expected the same fate for Tails. Even Knuckles wasn’t safe from the recasting trend, with Idris Elba coming in to voice the intense echidna in the sequel.
Some more cynical folks might take this to mean that Tails will have a rather diminished role in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 compared to his buddies. After all, Hollywood isn’t one to pass up an opportunity for star power over regular voice actors. Considering the rather salty reactions to the celebrity-smeared cast of the Super Mario movie, maybe the decision to keep O’Shaughnessey on wasn’t entirely made in a vacuum.
Then again, considering how she already showed up as Tails in the first Sonic movie, it seems as though this was the plan all along. So will Tails be relegated to a background role for most of the movie? Or will he buck the trend and fully showcase the talents of a genuine voice-over artist? Audiences will soon find out when Sonic the Hedgehog 2 finally premieres.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is set to release in theaters on April 8th, 2022.
Source: Colleen O’Shaughnessey/Twitter
