Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is getting close to wrapping up its theatrical run. It’s a big hit for Paramount Pictures and continues to show this franchise has a lot of gas left in the tank. With the sequel now on VOD, fans are getting the chance to take a closer look at director Jeff Fowler’s sequel. Intentional or not, it appears as though Fowler’s film shares a lot of common DNA with Zack Snyder’s DC films.
A Twitter user by the name of @kgcrossov3r recently put together a little side-by-side comparison of several shots from Sonic 3 and Snyder’s DC films, including Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League. The resemblances are uncanny and almost impossible to deny. Check it out for yourself.
— kgcrossov3r (@kgcrossov3r) January 24, 2025
A fight between Shadow and Sonic has a fair amount in common with Superman and Zod’s fight in Man of Steel. There are also similarities in ship design, as well as character entrances, among other things. It might be tough to clock these moments individually. However, presented together like this, it’s pretty compelling. Were these intentional homages by Fowler? Or were they merely coincidental? At some point, Fowler will probably weigh in. For now though, all we can do is speculate.
Here is the synopsis for Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
“Sonic the Hedgehog returns to the big screen this holiday season in his most thrilling adventure yet. 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 in every way, Team Sonic must seek out an unlikely alliance in hopes of stopping Shadow and protecting the planet.”
Sndyer’s time in the DC Universe is a thing of the past. Currently, James Gunn and Peter Safran are rebooting the DCU as the heads of DC Studios at Warner Bros. The former DCEU, aka the Snyderverse, ended with the release of last year’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Most recently, Snyder directed the Rebel Moon movies for Netflix.
As for Sonic, the future of the franchise is bright. Sonic 3 is the highest-grossing entry in the series to date and is on the verge of becoming the biggest live-action video game movie ever. Paramount already has Sonic the Hedgehog 4 in the works, set to hit theaters in 2027.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is in theaters and on VOD now.
What do you think? Were these intentional homages? A pure accident? Join in on the conversation over on Facebook or Twitter!
