Summary

Collider’s Steve Weintraub sits down with Sonic the Hedgehog 3′ star Ben Schwartz.

Schwartz voices Sonic in the franchise, alongside Idris Elba as Knuckles, Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik, and Keanu Reeves as Shadow.

In this interview, Schwartz discusses the lasting popularity of Parks and Recreation, his film DNA with Sam Rockwell, and the long journey of the Sonic franchise, including the potential for Sonic 4.

Who better to voice iconic speedster Sonic the Hedgehog than a quick-witted, fast talker like Ben Schwartz? Building his career with mind-blowing improvisational comedy and scene-stealing roles in films like Renfield, lending his vocal talents to the Star Wars universe, and performing improv at Radio City and Carnegie Hall, now Schwartz is back in lightspeed fashion as the world’s favorite blue speed-dasher in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
In director Jeff Fowler’s latest chapter of the Sonic series, Sonic, Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessy), and Knuckles (Idris Elba) come face-to-face with a mysterious, brand-new enemy, Shadow the Hedgehog, voiced by Keanu Reeves, a former military experiment that has escaped containment. Now, in order to save the planet from Shadow, Sonic and the gang need to join forces in a most unlikely partnership with Dr. Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey).
Collider’s own Steve Weintraub had the distinct pleasure of spending a little extra time with Schwartz. Together, they talk about the lasting power of Jean-Ralphio and Parks and Recreation, and writing and starring in his upcoming feature DNA with Sam Rockwell, directed by Jorma Taccone and produced by The Lonely Island.
Ben Schwartz on the Staying Power of ‘Parks and Recreation’

“One of my favorite things I’ve ever been a part of.”

Image via NBC

COLLIDER: Do you feel like Parks and Recreation is more popular now than it’s ever been because of streaming?
SCHWARTZ: Oh, I think there was a time when all of a sudden everybody’s kids knew Parks and Rec because it went on Netflix, and all of a sudden, it blew up. I wonder if it’s still at that high. But there was a time when everybody would call me Jean-Ralphio, and then it kind of went away. Now, all of a sudden, I’m getting a lot of, “The worst!” all over the place. It is such a great show with a female lead who’s a great person who’s just trying to do well. And then I play a Muppet in it. It’s very exciting, very exciting.
I love the show. The first season’s okay, and the second season is a masterpiece.
SCHWARTZ: But then think about it, there’s only like six episodes in that first season. Usually, people get twenty episodes to figure it out, and [Michael Schur] got six.
I love the show. I’ve recommended it a thousand times.
SCHWARTZ: One of my favorite things I’ve ever been a part of.
Ben Schwartz Is Reteaming Up With Sam Rockwell

“I just did the script for the studio.”

Image via Signature Entertainment

So you wrote DNA and it got picked up by Searchlight. You have the Lonely Island…
SCHWARTZ: We do!
And Sam Rockwell.
SCHWARTZ: Sam Rockwell and I wanted to star in a movie together, and I thought of a movie pitch that I’m gonna tell you when we’re not doing this. Two different studios told me we cannot make that movie, and I understand why. Then Sam was like, “We should do this type of movie.” I said I’m gonna write it, and I thought of the pitch. Then — this is how long it takes to make movies — at a screening for Jojo Rabbit, before Jojo Rabbit came out, I pitched DanTram [Nyguyen] from Searchlight the idea of DNA, and she was like, “Oh, you gotta sit me down and pitch the whole thing.”
I sat her down two weeks later, pitched the whole thing. Searchlight bought it first, which never happens, I just did the script for the studio, which never happens, and then they said, “Let’s get a physical producer on so we can make it.” I met with some producers. I picked Ali Bell and the Party Over Here guys. Then we had to pick a director. We had this list of directors, but Jorma [Taccone] — I know you’re like, “Oh, but he’s a part of the company,” — he had an incredible pitch, he was so passionate. He’s an incredible director. This team is bananas. I cannot wait to make this movie.
For the people watching, do you wanna say genre? Do you wanna say one word about it?
SCHWARTZ: By the way, I’m not allowed to talk about what it’s about, but I can ruin it now that it is a comedy-forward movie that has a different genre involved in it, which is the first time I’ve ever said that. I want to make the movie so bad. I’m just very excited. You know how good Jorma is. Also, I don’t think you would expect [this]. I’ve been very lucky and sold, like, 10 scripts to places, and this is unlike any other movie I’ve written. I wonder if that’s the reason why it’s getting close to being made. I wonder.
I’m really happy for you.
SCHWARTZ: Thank you, brother.
This Is the Biggest ‘Sonic’ Yet!

“Some of the best sequences in any of our trilogy.”

Jumping into Sonic, I think this is the best one yet. Do you think it’s the best one yet?
SCHWARTZ: I love this movie. I think it’s the biggest one yet. The first one will always hold a place in my heart because, I mean, we’re always the underdogs. Even in our opening weekend, we’re against a huge franchise. They’re like, “Oh, yeah, and also Sonic’s coming out that day.” We were such the underdog. That trailer was obviously a thing that we talked about in interviews, you and I. To come from there and make that movie and succeed and break numbers for video games is amazing. Now we’ve grown with [Sonic 2], and this one is enormous.
For cinephiles like you and I, to get Keanu Reeves in this movie next to Jim Carrey, next to Idris Elba, next to James Marsden, it’s crazy what we’re able to do. And I agree, I think this is the biggest, and it’s the most electric and has some of the best sequences in any of our trilogy — definitely CG-wise, but also character development and stuff like that. I love that you think it’s the best one because then maybe we’ll get a fourth.
There’s no doubt.

4:02

Related

“‘Jaws’ vs. ‘E.T.’?” Watch ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s Ben Schwartz Pitch Keanu Reeves the Steven Spielberg Collab of a Lifetime

This team-up has been a long time in the making.

Did you think about calling it Oceans Sonic, as an Ocean’s 11, because of the amount of people?
SCHWARTZ: [Laughs] Slowly, it’s gonna be 100 CG characters.
No, you have a ridiculous cast in this!
SCHWARTZ: Oh, you mean because it’s all the top brass. My God, and also at the end of Sonic 3, we really drop a crazy, incredible character, and if we could cast it the way we’ve been casting now, it would be bananas. It would be bananas to have another elite star who can really understand what that role is. It would be amazing.
Sonic the Hedgehog is now playing in theaters.

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Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails reunite against a powerful new adversary, Shadow, a mysterious villain with powers unlike anything they have faced before. With their abilities outmatched, Team Sonic must seek out an unlikely alliance.

Release Date

December 20, 2024

Runtime

109 Minutes

Writers

Pat Casey
, Josh Miller
, John Whittington

Studio(s)

Sega Sammy Group
, Original Film
, Marza Animation Planet
, Blur Studio

Distributor(s)

Paramount Pictures

Franchise(s)

Sonic the Hedgehog

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