EntertainmentMoviesFamily MoviesSonic the Hedgehog 3Sonic 3 writers admit that they did consider killing James Marsden’s lovable Tom: “It came up… but would have been maybe a bridge too far"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
EntertainmentMoviesFamily MoviesSonic the Hedgehog 3Sonic 3 writers admit that they did consider killing James Marsden’s lovable Tom: “It came up… but would have been maybe a bridge too far"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Paramount)
Warning: the following features spoilers for Sonic the Hedgehog 3…
Just because a movie is mostly aimed at kids, it doesn’t mean that a major character will bite the dust. Look atDisneyfor example, who have famously killed off so many from Mufasa to Bambi’s mom, leading to plenty of childhood trauma.
You would be forgiven, then, for thinking James Marsden’s lovable Tom was dead during the final act ofSonic 3,which is out now in theaters. Taking a hefty blow from Shadow, Tom was sent straight to the hospital and, for a moment, it looked like he might not make it out alive. However, he did pull through with us seeing Tom recovering with his family during the final scenes of the film.
But writers Pat Casey and Josh Miller did indeed consider killing Tom off, admitting to GamesRadar+ that “it came up” during the threequel’s development.
As Miller elaborates, they initially saw Tom’s death as a way to raise the stakes and set Sonic on a path of vengeance against Shadow. He explains: “There were definitely talks of how can we up the stakes. We knew that we wanted the end of the movie to be about Sonic kind of finding himself in a similar place of anger and wanting revenge as Shadow. So, it was kind of well like, what could push him to that point?”
The answer at one point was Tom’s death but, as Casey adds, the team ultimately decided that it wouldn’t work. In fact, the writer feared that it would be falling into a movie trap he wanted to avoid: “Ultimately we were like, nobody really wants to see Tom die. We want people to be happy at the end of this movie. I think doing that would have been maybe a bridge too far.”
He continues: “I mean, even before we were movie writers, we were movie fans, and it’s often made me really mad when a character gets killed when they don’t have to, especially at the beginning of a sequel, when they take your favorite character from the previous one and kill them off in the first scene. They’re doing it to raise the stakes, but all they’re really accomplishing is pissing me off.”
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Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is out now in theaters worldwide. For more, check out out guide toSonic 3 Easter eggsyou may have missed, as well as our breakdown of theSonic 3 endingand ourSonic the Hedgehog 3 review.
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2
Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
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Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
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Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
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Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3
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4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
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5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5
Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1
Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2
Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3
Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”