After the second Sonic the Hedgehog movie introduced Knuckles to the cinematic universe, it seemed obvious which one of Sonic's fuzzy friends would appear in the third installment of the franchise: Shadow.

It sure looks like that's what we're getting if a viral tweet from the official Sonic movie account showing Shadow's shoes and a clapperboard is to be interpreted in the most obvious way.

The teaser also promises a December 20th, 2024, release date, which has given Sonic fans quite a lot to be excited about.

Shadow the Hedgehog is infamously edgy, in internet parlance. A morally grey character, he is usually seen in the Sonic games working independently from the blue protagonist and his band of heroes to achieve his own ends, which sometimes puts him at odds with Sonic.

He is also the only Sonic character who swears and shoots a gun, which has made him a particularly memeable character due to how bizarrely he fits into the bright and largely colorful world of Sonic.

The announcement has raised quite a bit of interest in how the generally well-received Sonic movie franchise will handle such a divisive and iconic character.

Some have joked that children who will see the movie will be subjected to Shadow firing off headshots and swearing up a storm and also witness his traumatic past.

Every Sonic fan in the theater after a young, innocent girl gets shot by the government on screen: https://t.co/4YW7EkQbyE pic.twitter.com/OurWTaWD0D

— SuperMarioT 🔜 Let's Make Big Moves 2024 (@SuperMarioT_YT) November 29, 2023

This is surely just the tip of reveals the world will get over the next year ahead of the third Sonic movie, but here's hoping they at least animate him well the first time