Well here’s something rather unexpected – it has been revealed that Idris Elba will be playing Knuckles in the upcoming sequel to the Sonic movie.

Released least year, Sonic the Hedgehog surprised many by not being a train wreck. The movie, rather infamously, was delayed so that the main character could be redesigned following universally negative feedback to the original reveal of the character.

With movies based on videogames already holding a reputation for being terrible this move didn’t fill audiences with confidence, but when the film finally released it was generally well received.

It seemed a sequel was inevitable and one was finally announced in February of this year with the simple name of Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

Knuckles appearing in the film has been known for months now due to set pictures revealing the echidna. Said set pictures also featured titular character Sonic, as well as Tails. Most already knew Tails would appear in the sequel as he appeared in a post credits scene of the first movie.

Colleen O’Shaughnessey provides the voice for Tails, Ben Schwartz is Sonic and now Idris Elba is Knuckles.

Unfortunately we don’t have any video or even an audio snippet to find out how this version of Knuckles will sound. All we have for the reveal is a picture tweeted out by Elba of Knuckles’ distinctive double spike fist.

Elba just recently appeared in The Suicide Squad as Bloodsport. Interestingly Twitter was also used to announced that Bloodsport would appear in Fortnite, so the actor (or his PR agency) seems to really like the platform for reveals.

With an already storied career Elba is really making a name for himself in all manner of traditionally nerdy projects. Sonic the Hedgehog 2, The Suicide Squad, Pacific Rim, several Marvel movies, Star Trek Beyond and more. He was, of course, also in the latest adaptation of The Dark Tower, but the less we talk about that movie the better.

The only question we have now is whether the movie title “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” will get “& Knuckles” added to the end of it.

This should punch things up. #Knuckles https://t.co/RB4WY1qkrd

— Sonic the Hedgehog (@SonicMovie) August 10, 2021