Sonic movies in order
Three films, a six-episode series in the middle, and a fourth dated for 2027.
Updated 6 August 2026 · 5 titles tracked
The order is Sonic the Hedgehog (2020), Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022), Knuckles (2024), Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024).
That middle entry is the only thing anyone needs to look up. Knuckles takes place between the second and third films, and it came out eight months before Sonic 3 — so release order and story order happen to agree, which is lucky rather than designed.
Sonic, in order
Release order, which is also story order once Knuckles is slotted in.
- 1Sonic the Hedgehog2020 · The Films · Essential
- 2Sonic the Hedgehog 22022 · The Films · Essential
- 3Sonic the Hedgehog 32024 · The Films · Essential
- 4Knuckles2024 · The Series
- 5Sonic the Hedgehog 42027 · Coming Up · Essential
Do you need to watch Knuckles?
No. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 does not depend on it, and nobody watching the films will be lost without it.
It is six episodes on Paramount+ covering what Knuckles does between the two films, and it gives one character a history that Sonic 3 then quietly assumes. Watching it makes the third film very slightly richer. Skipping it costs you almost nothing.
The third one is the best
Shadow arrives, Jim Carrey plays two Robotniks, and the film is noticeably more confident than the two before it. It took over 490 million dollars worldwide and is the highest-rated of the three.
It also does the most with the games — if you came in through Sonic Adventure 2, this is the film that pays that off.
The first film and the redesign
Worth knowing as context: the original 2019 trailer showed a Sonic design so badly received that Paramount delayed the film by three months and rebuilt the character from scratch. The version that released is the redesigned one.
That is the reason the first film looks like the games and most video-game adaptations of its era do not.
What is next
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is dated for 22 December 2027, moved back from an earlier March slot the same year.
Common questions
What order should I watch the Sonic movies in?
Sonic the Hedgehog (2020), Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022), the Knuckles series (2024), then Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024).
Where does Knuckles fit in the Sonic timeline?
Between Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 3. It released before the third film, so release order and story order match.
Do I need to watch Knuckles before Sonic 3?
No. Sonic 3 works fine without it, though one character arrives with a history the series explains.
When is Sonic the Hedgehog 4 coming out?
22 December 2027, moved back from an earlier March 2027 date.