The first trailer for The Angry Birds Movie 3 has revealed a surprise cameo appearance from Paramount's other major video game adaptation star, Sonic the Hedgehog.
Paramount acquired the rights to the Angry Birds franchise for its third film, following distribution by Sony for the first two. The trailer shows Sonic running alongside Chuck, the yellow bird voiced by Josh Gad. The context for the cameo is not yet clear, though the trailer suggests the film will lean heavily into pop culture references.
This appearance follows a recent trend of unexpected video game character crossovers in animated films. The article notes a similar instance where Fox McCloud had a notable role in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
The Angry Birds Movie 3 is scheduled to be released in theaters on December 23. Sonic the Hedgehog will next be seen in his own film, Sonic the Hedgehog 4, which is slated for a March 19 release.