‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ Casting Director Keanu Reeves, Jim Carrey

Jeff Fowler has directed all three “Sonic the Hedgehog” movies, but his association with the video game franchise predates the spiky-haired speedster’s big-screen debut. Like any self-respecting kid in the 1990s, he grew up playing “Sonic.” “I loved his attitude and the swagger he had,” says Fowler. “It was impossible not to fall in love with the guy.”

That interest led to an early gig working on the 2005 video game “Shadow the Hedgehog,” a third-person shooter spinoff that focused on a black hedgehog who exists as a darker, moodier yin to Sonic’s yang. “Whereas Sonic is this motor boy who’s excited and happy and optimistic, Shadow is the other side of the coin,” says Fowler. “He’s been through some real hardships and it’s caused his life to spin out in this radically different direction.”

Things are coming full circle with “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” hitting theaters this weekend, dominating the box office and surpassing Disney’s “Mufasa.” It also serves as Shadow’s introduction to the SCU (Sonic Cinematic Universe). And Fowler couldn’t think of anyone better to bring Shadow to life than Keanu Reeves, best known for serving cinematic justice in the “John Wick” movies, who voices the hard-charging hedgehog in the sequel.

“There are obvious parallels between John Wick and Shadow,” Fowler admits. “But Keanu has always played complex, brooding characters with a real edge to them. He was a perfect fit.”

“Sonic the Hedgehog 3” also brings back Jim Carrey as Dr. Ivo Robotnik, the mad scientist who served as the primary antagonist in the previous two films. Carrey’s involvement was not a given – the actor had previously said he was retiring from acting. But recasting the role was not an option as Fowler believed Carrey’s comic style was irreplaceable.

“In my heart, I felt that if we offered Jim a fun concept, and if we dangled just the right carrot, he would come back,” says Fowler. “He loves to entertain young audiences.”

Ultimately, it was the prospect of playing not one, but two monstrous characters that helped seal the deal, with Carrey doing double duty as the demented doctor and his grandfather, Professor Gerald Robotnik, that got the comic signed on the dashed line. (Carrey have also said that he needed the money).

As for Fowler, he has been linked to a live-action, animated hybrid reboot of “The Pink Panther,” but he hasn’t offered much about what he has planned for the film. “It’s one of those iconic franchises that’s exciting,” he says.

There are challenges that come with dealing with such beloved properties. When Fowler and his team were working on the first “Sonic the Hedgehog” movie, the first designs for the CGI creation were exposed to withered reviews on social media, with fans faulting the character’s eyes and teeth and comparing him unfavorably to the felines in “Cats”. Fowler went public and said “the message is loud and clear” and sent the team back to the drawing boards for a redesign that better aligned the movie version of Sonic with the one from the games.

“The fans are passionate about these characters and you have to respect that,” he says. “It comes from a place of love.”

“The Pink Panther” may be beckoning, but it’s not clear Fowler is ready to say goodbye to Sonic, Shadow and the rest of the gang after directing three movies and one episode of the streaming spinoff series “Knuckles. ” Paramount is developing a fourth film, and the latest sequel introduces some new characters from the video game franchise that could take the franchise in exciting directions.

“We can keep growing the world and expanding the family of Sonic characters,” teases Fowler. “I feel like we’re just moving on.”