‘Sonic 4’ Sets Official Title and Release Date

The first Sonic the Hedgehog sequel was named Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and the next one was Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Believe it or not, the fourth movie coming out is called… Sonic the Hedgehog 4.

Paramount officially announced the movie’s title and release date for next spring with a short video. The video hints at the return of the Chaos Emeralds from the popular video game series and introduces Amy Rose as a new character, voiced by Kristen Bell (known from Frozen). Fans also speculated about a quick glimpse of Metal Sonic!

Watch the “title reveal” video below:

Paramount has revealed the complete cast for the new movie: Jim Carrey, Ben Schwartz, Kristen Bell, Idris Elba, Keanu Reeves, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Ben Kingsley, Matt Berry, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, Lee Majdoub, Nick Offerman, and Richard Ayoade. Who would have guessed Jim Carrey would be in four Sonic the Hedgehog films? It would have been amazing to tell someone in 1994 that he’d be in one! The same goes for Ben Kingsley – who would have predicted Sir Ben Kingsley would be a star in Sonic the Hedgehog 4?

Paramount also announced that Jeff Fowler will return as director for the fourth live-action Sonic the Hedgehog movie. He’s directed all four films in the series, which is somewhat unexpected considering the initial challenges faced by the first movie.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 opens in theaters one year from today: March 19, 2027. To be safe, you might want to consider getting in line for tickets right now.

The 10 Worst TV Game Shows of All Time

Three’s a Crowd (1979-1980)

We watch reality TV shows about relationships – like The Bachelor, 90 Day Fiancé, or Love Island – because we’re drawn to the drama, the ridiculous scenarios, and the conflict. In the past, game shows were known for creating that kind of excitement. Three’s a Crowd, a short-lived show from the late 70s/early 80s, perfectly captures that obsession with manufactured drama. The premise was simple: a man would answer questions about his marriage and work, and then his wife and secretary would try to guess his answers. The whole idea feels uncomfortably focused on harmful relationship dynamics, and both the original show and its 1999 revival were quickly cancelled.

Pitfall (1981-1982)

Before becoming famous as the host of Jeopardy!, Alex Trebek hosted a Canadian game show called Pitfall in the early 1980s. Pitfall was similar to Family Feud in that contestants tried to guess the most popular answers to questions, based on what a studio audience had previously provided. The top contestants then moved on to a round where they answered trivia questions while crossing a bridge. However, the bridge was covered with traps – stepping on one would start a timer and the contestant had only 10 seconds to answer a question from Trebek correctly or be eliminated. The show was overly complicated and not very engaging, and unfortunately, the production company went bankrupt, meaning no one was fully paid for their work on the season.

The Chamber (2002)

A bizarrely similar show to the movie Saw aired on Fox years before the film even came out. Called “The Chamber,” it trapped contestants and forced them to answer trivia questions while subjecting them to harsh conditions. They faced extreme temperatures, wind, flames, simulated earthquakes, muscle-contracting electrodes, and decreasing oxygen levels. Though a medical team was present, the show was canceled after just six episodes due to poor ratings and considerable public outcry.

Are You Hot? (2003)

Some creations seem to offer nothing but negativity, and the reality show Are You Hot? is a prime example. The show, officially titled Are You Hot?: The Search for America’s Sexiest People, divided the country into regions and had people from each state judged solely on their physical appearance by a panel including Lorenzo Lamas, Rachel Hunter, and Randolph Duke. Viewers also got to vote on contestants before the judges assigned them scores. Unlike other reality shows, Are You Hot? didn’t consider personality, hobbies, or career. It was one of many problematic shows in the early 2000s that focused on contestants’ looks, arguably as harmful as The Swan, a 2004 show that dramatically changed people’s appearances and then judged how much they’d improved. If you’re curious (and brave), the entire first episode of Are You Hot? is available on YouTube.

Distraction (2005-2006)

Compared to the intense show The Chamber, Distraction was a lighter, more humorous take on the endurance challenge format. Instead of physical torture, contestants on Distraction faced silly and absurd interruptions while trying to answer questions. The show began with host Jimmy Carr revealing embarrassing personal details about the contestants. Then, while attempting to answer a new set of questions, they were subjected to distractions like nudists, paintballs, mild electric shocks, and even being playfully slammed into mattresses by wrestlers. While the show has been recreated in several countries, including Brazil, India, and the United States, none of these versions have become hugely popular.

Identity (2006-2007)

Game shows often focus on physical appearances, and Identity, despite lasting only one season, was unique in how it played with this concept. Contestants were shown groups of strangers and had to match personal details to the correct person. Unlike Are You Hot?, Identity emphasized gathering information through questioning. The show deliberately included surprising reveals – like discovering a woman in a bikini was actually a teacher or a seemingly ordinary man was a successful realtor. Hosted by Penn Jillette of Penn & Teller, the show unfortunately didn’t gain enough traction and was canceled after its first season.

The Singing Bee (2007)

NBC rushed the premiere of The Singing Bee to compete with Fox’s Don’t Forget the Lyrics!, but it wasn’t enough to keep the show on air for long. The show started with a seemingly spontaneous audience participation segment where audience members who correctly identified song snippets became contestants. From there, players tested their musical knowledge by recalling lyrics, unscrambling lines, identifying songs from just the intro, and completing lyrics during a karaoke round. While the first episode briefly outperformed Dancing with the Stars on ABC, ratings quickly declined, leading to cancellation. However, CMT later brought the show back for four more seasons until 2012.

Hurl! (2008)

It’s strange it took so long for a show like this to appear, and not surprising it didn’t last. Most people don’t want to watch multiple episodes – or seasons – of people competitively eating until they get sick. That was the idea behind Hurl!, which aired for one season on the G4 video game network in 2008. Contestants ate as much as possible and then did intense physical activity, with the last person not to vomit being the winner. It wasn’t a hit, probably because it’s not something people would even watch for free.

My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad (2008)

Even the experienced producer Mark Burnett, known for hits like Survivor, The Apprentice, and Shark Tank, couldn’t turn the simple schoolyard taunt “My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad” into a successful game show. The show pitted fathers against their children in physical and mental challenges—things like running, lifting weights, answering trivia, and even demonstrating how well they knew their own kids—to determine who was the ultimate dad and win prizes like a mountain bike and an Xbox 360. Sadly, it only lasted one season due to poor viewership, and possibly because one of the fathers suffered a heart attack during a competition.

Red or Black (2011-2012)

The game show Red or Black? stripped all the fun and suspense from the classic roulette concept. Contestants simply chose red or black, and were eliminated if they guessed wrong. Each round featured videos of celebrities doing stunts – like Jedward tumbling in ZORBs or David Hasselhoff on a bungee cord – until the final round, where they had to predict the colors on a special roulette wheel. Despite a large, elaborate set called “the Red or Black Arena,” the first season received overwhelmingly negative reviews, partly due to the winner and another contestant having criminal records.

2026-03-19 16:58