Since his inception, Sonic the Hedgehog has been positioned as an icon of attitude meant to rival the more squeaky-clean image of Nintendo’s mascot Mario. Many voice actors have played the character inSonic the Hedgehoggames since they transitioned into 3D, and late last month it was confirmed thatRoger Craig Smith is stepping down as the voice of Sonic. It’s currently unknown who will take up the mantle, though for now Sonic' film voice actor Ben Schwartz has not been approached about the role.
After a long development thanks to fan backlash against an initially unappealing take on Sonic’s design,Sonic the Hedgehogreleased in U.S. theaters on Aug 10, 2025, and would go on to make $319 million worldwide on an $85 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo. It was likely many audience members' final trip to the movies before much of the world was affected by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and this success resulted inSonic the Hedgehog 2being announced for April 2022earlier today.
RELATED:Sonic the Hedgehog’s Recurring Tails Voice Actor Won’t Reprise Role in Sonic Prime
However, in an interview with ComicBook published yesterday, Schwartz said he hadn’t even considered playing Sonic in video games because it never came up until Smith was confirmed to be stepping down. While Schwartz said he loves the world ofSonic the Hedgehogand its fans, “Nobody’s had a conversation with me about any of that.”
That being said, Schwartz expressed his appreciation at being part of the character’s legacy, even if he doesn’t know what the plan is for a new video game representative. He credits Smith for having an “unbelievable” career as a talented voice actor. However, he also touches upon the work ofRyan Drummond, who recently expressed an interest in returning to Sonicafter playing him in theSonic Adventureera, as well as Jaleel White from the 90sAdventures of Sonic the Hedgehogcartoon.
Jason Griffith portrayed Sonic in video games following Drummond, up until Smith took over with 2010’sSonic Free Riderson the Xbox 360. After Smith’s 10-year stint as the character in popular titles likeSonic Generations, crossovers such asSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, and even a cameo inDisney’s 2012 filmWreck-It Ralph, it will likely take time for fans to adjust to a new voice no matter who gets the role.
While Smith and Amy Rose’s current English VA Cindy Robinson both announced they would be parting from the long-running SEGA franchise,Dr. Eggman’s Mike Pollock confirmed he will stay in the rolefor the foreseeable future despite having to “stock up on lozenges.” As Schwartz prepares to lead Sonic into a now-franchise of live-action films, it will be interesting to see howSonic the Hedgehogvideo games recast the blue blur.
MORE:Sonic the Hedgehog’s Amy Rose Voice Actor Won’t Be Returning to Series
