Sonic the Hedgehog 4 in development for 2027 after Jim Carrey returned to franchise because he 'needed money'

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is already in the works.

The third installment of the franchise is set to his theaters on Friday, but Paramount Pictures is already developing the next chapter, as per The Hollywood Reporter.

The latest installment in the film, based on the popular Sega video game, has a planned 2027 spring release date. 

There has not yet been an announcement regarding who is writing and directing the upcoming film. 

Jeff Fowler served as director for the first three films. The third film was penned by Pat Casey, Josh Miller, and John Whittington. 

It comes after Jim Carrey, 62, who plays mad scientist Ivo Robotnik/Doctor Eggman in all three films, claimed that he took the role because he 'needed money.' 

The first two films have grossed over $725 million worldwide. The franchise, which began in 2020, has also spawned the Paramount+ series Knuckles.

The world's most famous hedgehog uses his speedy skills to fend off a nefarious new enemy in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

Ben Schwartz returns to voice the beloved title character from 2020's Sonic the Hedgehog and 2022's Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

Colleen O'Shaughnessey returns to voice Tails and Idris Elba is also back to voice Knuckles in the highly-anticipated sequel.

They must all team up to face the nefarious Shadow - a new villainous character voiced by Keanu Reeves.

Paramount has already set a December 20 release date, putting it up against Disney's Mufasa: The Lion King.

Carrey recently cut a dapper figure while attending the Los Angeles premiere of Sonic The Hedgehog 3 at TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on Monday.

The Ace Ventura: Pet Detective actor flashed a bright smile on the red carpet, following his recent claims that he took the role because he 'needed money.'

While on the red carpet Carrey — who once had an estimated net worth of $300 million — also mingled with his co-star Keanu.

It comes after the Canadian actor backtracked on his money claims, telling Comicbook.com, 'It's not really about the money. I joke about the money.'

He also joked about gambling away his fortune. 'I gamble. Flea circuses are my thing,' the actor humorously stated.

He then walked back comments about him being ready to retire, after previously stating in 2022 that he was 'being fairly serious' about retiring from acting.

'You can't be definite about these things,' he told the publication.

'I said I’d like to retire, but I think I was talking more about "power-resting." Because as soon as a good idea comes your way or a group of people that you really enjoyed working with and stuff, it just — things tend to change.'

It's unclear how much he got paid for his latest role, but the iconic actor used to command a cool $20 million for films like The Cable Guy in 1996.

Carrey enjoyed a legendary run with hits like Liar Liar, The Truman Show, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Bruce Almighty, but his star began to dim in the late 2000s.

Despite once having an estimated net worth of $300 million, Carrey still needs to make sure the bills get paid — which is why he’s come out of 'retirement.'

'I came back to this universe 'cause, first of all, I get to play a genius, which is a bit of a stretch, and it's just... it's just... I bought a lot of stuff and I need the money, frankly,' he quipped on the red carpet of Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s London premiere on Monday.

But don’t be fooled into thinking it’s entirely about the paycheck; Carrey was quick to add, 'At the same time, it had heart, and that's why I did it the first time. There was something beautiful about the heart of the piece.'

Of course, he couldn’t resist throwing in his signature humor, concluding, 'I hope it will bring families together and cure several diseases.'

Carrey recently finally bid farewell to his Los Angeles estate. An undisclosed buyer snapped up Carrey’s sprawling Brentwood sanctuary last week for $19.8 million — a cool $10 million under the original February 2023 asking price, per SFGATE.

While the five-bedroom, nine-bathroom retreat didn’t fetch its initial number, Carrey still walked away with a hefty profit, having scooped up the property for just $3.8 million back in 1994.

Two months after listing the LA property in 2023 for $28.9 million, Carrey cut the price to $27 million, and in October 2023, he reduced that number to $24 million.

And in May 2024, the Truman Show actor slashed the price to $21.9 million — bringing the total discount to $7 million.

He bought it while he shot to fame starring in the hit movie Ace Venture: Pet Detective. 

The actor also owns a property in Maui, confirming in 2017 that he is a resident of the island after buying a home near the waterfront in Makena.

His luxury car collection is rumored to have taken a bite out of his fortune as well. The comedian has owned several Mercedes, a Porshe Panamera and a Tesla, according to Supercarblondie.

He’s also shared stories of his travels to various corners of the globe, from humble trips to Buffalo, NY, to lavish getaways in London and awe-inspiring visits to Machu Picchu, Peru.

Carrey’s journey from humble beginnings to Hollywood icon began in the streets of Toronto, where he grew up.

After leaving school in 1978 to help support his family, Carrey spent two years working as a janitor in a factory—far from the spotlight, but not for long.

By age 15, he was already performing stand-up comedy in local Toronto clubs, and by 1979, he was earning a living as a comedian.

At 19, Carrey took a leap of faith and moved to Hollywood, where he quickly immersed himself in both television and film. In 2004, he solidified his place in both countries by obtaining dual U.S. and Canadian citizenship.

Carrey’s first TV special, Jim Carrey: Unnatural Act (1991), earned rave reviews and opened the door to his breakout role on the sketch comedy series In Living Color, where his zany, larger-than-life persona became a household name.

Interestingly, in 1985, Carrey made a daring and prescient decision: he wrote himself a check for $10 million for 'acting services rendered,' dated it ten years into the future, and kept it in his wallet as a symbol of his ambition.

Remarkably, in November 1995, Carrey learned that he had been cast in Dumb and Dumber for exactly $10 million.

In 2022, he announced his plans to retire from acting once and for all, claiming that Sonic the Hedgehog 2 would be his final film.

'It depends, if the angels bring some sort of script that's written in gold ink that says to me that it's gonna be really important for people to see, I might continue down the road, but I'm taking a break,' he said at the time.

At the Sonic 3 premiere, an interviewer from the Associated Press said to him: 'You said in a past interview that you'd come back if you got a script written in gold ink written by angels...?'

As Carrey began to laugh he replied saying: 'That might've been hyperbole, yeah.'

The Sonic series has been one of the most lucrative projects of his career, with the first two films grossing a combined $725 million worldwide.