Sonic the Hedgehog and its recent sequel Sonic the Hedgehog 2 swept up viewers’ hearts at the speed of sound. The iconic blue blur finally made it to the silver screen, and the Sega Sammy Group put a few fresh twists on his story to keep things interesting. From gorgeous CGI animation that blends surprisingly well with live actors to high-octane action sequences and exciting performances from the cast, the cinematic world of Sonic is really starting to take shape! Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was an especially successful sequel, taking a huge step towards establishing lore for the next installment: the mid-credits scene revealed none other than Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic’s primary rival and a wildly popular canon character.

With Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and a Knuckles spinoff already in the works, there’s been plenty of debate about which actor should be cast to play Shadow. Like every member of the Sonic Team, his actor needs to get things just right: a healthy dose of stoic intensity, a dash of brooding, and a spritz of competitive edginess is the sort of formula we’re looking for. While we wait for the official casting to be announced, here’s our take on eight actors who would do a killer job bringing Shadow to life.

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8 Ralph Fiennes

     Via: Eon Productions

You might recognize this famed actor from any number of things — his numerous theatrical performances, his unforgettable portrayal of Voldemort in Harry Potter and his appearance as M in Skyfall and No Time to Die, just to name a few. Ralph Fiennes has a gift for antagonistic characters who are imposing yet controlled; his ability to capture power and restraint in a single line is unparalleled, and he would add a whole new layer of depth to Shadow.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

7 Keith David

     Via: Universal 1440

Longtime fans of Keith David may know him from his work on Platoon and Requiem for a Dream, while newer fans might recognize his voice as the Arbiter from Halo or the President on Rick and Morty. Regardless, David’s rich vocal range is deep, stirring, and poetic. He’s honed his ability to communicate on theatrical stages, and his extensive career shows us that he’s capable of tackling little nuances for nearly any character. Imagine the bite and elegance he could bring to Shadow!

6 Pedro Pascal

     Warner Bros. Television Distribution

Whether you first caught wind of him as Prince Oberyn on Game of Thrones or Din Djarin as the titular bounty hunter in The Mandalorian, you can probably appreciate Pedro Pascal for his suave yet subdued persona. His voice is rich and memorable, and he can portray the right level of bitterness for Shadow’s persona. In the more vulnerable moments where he struggles with his identity, Pascal is capable of bringing a little more humanity to the role.

5 Adam Driver

     Lucasfilm

It’s no wonder Adam Driver has garnered so much critical acclaim in the past few years. From the vicious and broken Kylo Ren in the Star Wars sequel trilogy to the emotionally charged Charlie in Marriage Story, Driver has shown us numerous times that he’s fantastic at getting the audience deep into their feelings. He has a way of making particularly villainous characters feel believable and empathetic, and he’s equally talented at showing fear, anger and control, all major driving forces for Shadow.

4 Travis Willingham

     Via: Nerdist

Another popular voice actor, Travis Willingham has a certain level of intensity and quiet aggression that comes through beautifully in many of his characters. He’s great with straightforward, deadpan delivery and his vocal expression for combat sequences is art in itself. His portrayal of Yu Kanda in D Gray Man, Mori-Senpai from Ouran High School Host Club and Spartan Frederic-104 in the Halo franchise all lend to his potential as Shadow the Hedgehog.

3 J. Michael Tatum

     Via: Alchetron

This renowned voice actor has been all over the anime scene for years, and his range is vastly impressive. J. Michael Tatum has done everything from over-the-top and zany to the most prestigious characters you could imagine. In terms of playing Shadow, Scar of Fullmetal Alchemist and Acnologia of Fairy Tail are just a few examples of how well he could do with the Ultimate Lifeform.

2 Christian Bale

     Warner Bros. Pictures

Christian Bale is no stranger to voice work, and one of the most promising examples of this is his ability to stay in character using The Dark Knight’s raspy vocal disguise. Tone this down a few notches, and you’ve nearly got a perfect rendition of Shadow’s voice in the games. Bale’s time as Batman showcases his ability to tap into darker characters, and his work on lighter projects like Howl’s Moving Castle show us even more of his range.

1 Keanu Reeves

     Lionsgate

According to GGRecon, fans have already been wildly vying for the National Treasure himself to voice Shadow, and why not? He’s perfect for the job — Shadow has always been dark and brooding with intermittent bits of powerful emotion, and that’s where Keanu Reeves shines. With gritty, complex characters like Neo and John Wick under his belt and experience in voice acting, he’s already the full package. As an added bonus, Sonic is already a huge fan of his!