A third Sonic the Hedgehog film is officially in the works at Paramount, as well as a spin-off TV series.

Paramount confirmed the news yesterday (February 15), while voice actor Ben Schwartz launched the #Sonic3 hashtag on Twitter.

• READ MORE: Looking back on 30 years of Sonic The Hedgehog with composer Jun Senoue

“WE ARE BUILDING A WHOLE UNIVERSE HERE, PEOPLE,” Schwartz, who voices Sonic, wrote. “HONORED TO BE A PART OF THE RIDE. #SONICMOVIE2 COMING 4/8 AND THEN GET READY FOR #SONICMOVIE3! THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I’VE EVER USED THAT HASHTAG AND IT FELT GREAT.”

Sonic 2 is set to be released in UK and US cinemas on April 8, while a release date for Sonic 3 is yet to be confirmed.

WE ARE BUILDING A WHOLE UNIVERSE HERE PEOPLE!!! HONORED TO BE A PART OF THE RIDE. #SONICMOVIE2 COMING 4/8 AND THEN GET READY FOR #SONICMOVIE3! THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I’VE EVER USED THAT HASHTAG AND IT FELT GREAT. https://t.co/1bKYYfoHvo

— Ben Schwartz (@rejectedjokes) February 15, 2022

The spin-off series will focus on Idris Elba’s red rival Knuckles, who is set to make his debut in the Paramount universe in the forthcoming sequel in April. There’s no release date for the series yet.

Reviewing the first Sonic the Hedgehog film in 2020, NME wrote: “Far more charming, coherent and less chaotic than expected, Sonic the Hedgehog succeeds where Cats failed and successfully reverses its pre-determined narrative set out by the Internet.

“It might be weirdly pitched and occasionally messy, but it’s hard to hate a film with this much spirit.”

The first film had hit a roadblock when unveiling the very first Sonic design, after fans online took aim at the look of the titular character.

Jeff Fowler, Josh Miller and Pat Casey all return on the second Sonic film as director and co-writers respectively. It will reach cinemas this Spring.