For almost as long as anyone can remember, having the name Idris Elba attached to your project basically meant you had a license to print money. From The Wire to Luther, from the Thor movies to Prometheus to The Dark Tower, Elba has become one of the most popular actors of his generation.
But perhaps the pinnacle of his achievements, the one role that will surely have people talking for decades, is that of Knuckles from the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. He first portrayed the red echidna in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 to critical acclaim and the adoration of his many fans.
Now Paramount, the studio that makes the Sonic films, rightly guessed that Elba's talents were being wasted as just Sonic's sidekick. An actor such as he deserved to explore Knuckles full potential, which is exactly what they did in the new Knuckles miniseries that just premiered on Paramount Plus.
Idris Elba will be back as Knuckles for Sonic the Hedgehog 3
The six-episode series follows Knuckles as he attempts to discover what he is supposed to do after helping Sonic save the world. It continues to build out the Sonic the Hedgehog Cinematic Universe that Paramount is developing and gives Elba a chance to really shine in the role.
And it would seem that people agree, lots and lots of them. Deadline is reporting the Knuckles is the biggest hit in the history of Paramount Plus. It has quickly become the most-watched original series ever on the streamer with 4 million hours watched since it premiered.
And of course, the bulk of that credit has to go to Elba and his masterful performance as Knuckles. I mean, sure he was great in Hobbs and Shaw and he earned a ton of award nominations for Beasts of No Nation but his work as Knuckles is on another level of acting.
According to Jeff Grossman, Executive Vice President, Programming, Paramount Plus, Elba not only helped make Knuckles a hit but the entire Sonic the Hedgehog Cinematic Universe as well.
"“The Sonic the Hedgehog fans came out in full-force. We’re so thrilled with the record-breaking performance of Knuckles and the incredible lift the whole Sonic universe has experienced following Knuckles‘ premiere.”"Jeff Grossman
And for those that are curious, yes, Elba will be back as Knuckles for the forthcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3 which arrives in theaters this December. But before that, make sure to catch Elba's award-worthy performance in Knuckles. All six episodes are now available to stream on Paramount Plus.
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