We now know when we will have the pleasure of seeing the Sonic sequel in theaters, with the studio announcing that Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will sprint onto the big screen April 8, 2022. The video game adaptation, Sonic the Hedgehog, was a surprisingly huge hit for Paramount Pictures, and so, a sequel was quickly announced. At present, no other details have been revealed, but it is safe to assume that actors Ben Schwartz, Jim Carrey, and James Marsden will likely all be coming back.

To celebrate the release date, which was previously revealed when Paramount Pictures announced their impending release slate, after changing a number of dates due to the ongoing health crisis, voice actor Ben Schwartz, who plays Sonic in the movie and will return for the sequel, celebrated the release date news with a funny throwback video. Schwartz is on a people mover, rolling past giant Sonic the Hedgehog banners. Sadly, no one recognizes that he is the star of this huge blockbuster. And by the end of the video, he's a little bit sad. Which looks quite genuine. Perhaps he's faking. Who knows?

Plot details remain largely unknown, but with the ending of the first movie leaving Dr. Robotnik stranded, as well as introducing Sonic's loveable sidekick, Tails, and hinting at the arrival of fan-favorite character Knuckles, the scene is set for a bigger, better sequel.

The first Sonic the Hedgehog remains one of the lone success stories at the 2020 box office. Despite a shaky start thanks to some ill-judged character design, Paramount made the unprecedented move of delaying the movie in order to redesign the title character's appearance. This was evidently the right move, with Sonic the Hedgehog debuting to strong reviews from both critics and video game fans alike.

With a release date now revealed for the upcoming sequel, fans can while away the time wondering whether the long-time supporting character, Knuckles, will make an appearance. Luckily for them, director Jeff Fowler has discussed the character before, suggesting that it is likely that the red echidna will enter the fray eventually.

"For this first film, we really were just looking at the 1991 game and just see where it all started and just keep it simple," he said back in February. "Just really try to nail Sonic and Robotnik and just set up their rivalry because you don't... I mean, I love... There's a lot of great characters in the Sonic universe, but it's the most important thing is just to get Sonic set up and just tell a little bit of an origin story with him, and just do it in a way that really makes everyone fall in love with him as a character and just be rooting for more. And then, if all that goes well, then we can kind of open it up and bring in some of these other characters that fans know and love. And yeah, I mean, no one's more excited than me to have that opportunity."

So, along with the mid-credits Tails tease, it is very possible that Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will bring several members of the Sega franchise family into proceedings. This is clearly what Fowler intends to do, with the direct having high hopes that he will be able to expand on the groundwork he has now laid.

Sonic the Hedgehog finds the superfast, blue-colored hedgehog, Sonic, as he tries to navigate the complexities of life on Earth with his newfound best friend -- a human named Tom Wachowski. They must soon join forces to prevent the evil Dr. Robotnik from capturing Sonic and using his powers for world domination. The movie stars Ben Schwartz as Sonic and Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik, with James Marsden, Neal McDonald, Tika Sumpter, Adam Pally, and Natasha Rothwell. The Sonic the Hedgehog 2 release date was announced officially by Paramount Pictures.