Hollywood superstar Idris Elba is set to voice
Knuckles the Echidna in “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” next year. The film will be
Knuckles’ live-action debut. 

Elba, who is represented by M88, WME, The Artists Partnership, and Ziffren Brittenham LLP, confirmed the news on Twitter.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is due to be out from Paramount
on April 8, 2022.

According to a report by the Verge, Sonic the
Hedgehog 2 will actually see Elba’s animated echidna team up with Jim Carrey’s
Dr. Robotnik “in search for an emerald that has the power to both build and
destroy civilizations.”

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Elba will join Ben Schwartz, who voiced Sonic
in the first film, and returning live-action actors James Marsden as Tom and
Tika Sumpter as Maddie. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will also feature Miles “Tails”
Prower (who appeared in a post-credit scene in the first film), but it’s
unclear if the flying fox character will be voiced by Colleen O’Shaughnessey —
who also has voiced Tails in other Sonic games and media — or if he will be
recast with an actor with more name recognition.

The first Sonic was a success for Paramount,
with a total earning of $319.7 million globally upon release in February 2020,
making it one of the final blockbusters to hit before COVID-19 caused a total
disruption in the theatrical marketplace.

Elba is playing Bloodsport in Warner Bros’
The Suicide Squad, that hit the theatres recently. He will next be seen in the
Netflix western “The Harder They Fall”, which will release in October
this year.