It's official, Idris Elba is Knuckles the Echidna in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Though production on the upcoming video game adaptation sequel has been wrapped, we still haven't got an official confirmation from the studio that Knuckles is in fact in the movie, even if previous leaks all but confirmed the news. Posting a photo of Knuckles' fist in a new photo on Instagram, Elba has revealed himself to be the voice of the character, which also finally confirms that Knuckles is indeed in the movie.

"Knock, knock....." Idris Elba writes in the caption.

It's not a shock to see Knuckles a part of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, as most fans were expecting it by this point. A statue of Knuckles appearing to be a prop for the movie had been photographed on the set next to statues of Sonic and Tails. Online, a plot synopsis also seemed to reveal that Knuckles played heavily into the plot of the sequel, even if Paramount Pictures refused to offer an official comment.

What's most surprising here is that Elba has been the one cast. Previous reports suggested that Aquaman and Game of Thrones star Jason Momoa was eyed for the voiceover role, and the suggestion went over very well with a lot of fans. Because Elba has also proven himself to be an amazing actor, with many fans loving his latest role as Bloodsport in The Suicide Squad, people seem to be just as ecstatic about this official casting.

The plot synopsis for Sonic the Hedgehog 2 from the movie's official copyright listing reads: "After settling in Green Hills, Sonic is ready for more freedom, and Tom and Maddie agree to leave him home while they go on vacation," the plot summary reads. "But, no sooner are they gone, when Dr. Robotnik comes back, this time with a new partner, Knuckles, in search for an emerald that has the power to both build and destroy civilizations. Sonic teams up with his own sidekick, Tails, and together they embark on a journey to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands."

Because Knuckles wasn't in the first movie, Idris Elba is a newcomer to the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 cast. He'll be joining returning stars Ben Schwartz as the voice of Sonic, Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik, James Marsden as Tom Wachowski, and Tika Sumpter as Maddie Wachowski. Colleen O'Shaughnessey voiced Tails in the first movie's mid-credit scene, reprising her role from the video game series, though it's unclear if she's also back for Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

The original Sonic the Hedgehog was a tremendous hit when it was released early last year, which was fortunately before the pandemic totally decimated the movie theater business. It set the record for the biggest opening weekend for a video game movie in the United States and Canada, also making it the highest-grossing video game movie in North America. Paramount was wise to order a sequel, and the returning cast along with the addition of Elba is very promising.

Jeff Fowler directs Sonic the Hedgehog 2 using a screenplay by Pat Casey and Josh Miller. Neal H. Moritz, Toby Ascher, Toru Nakahara, and Takeshi Ito are producing. The sequel is due to be released on April 8, 2022.