What role will Alyla Browne play in Sonic 3? Character explored

After the success of the first two iterations of the series, Sonic the Hedgehog will soon be back with a third movie. Set to enter the development stage in the coming time, the internet has been fraught with rumors related to the cast and the showrunners. Recently, 14-year-old Australian-Estonian actress Alyla Browne, who has previously worked on multiple major projects, confirmed that she will be playing the much-hyped role of Maria Robotnik in the third movie of the franchise.

Browne has previously been seen in series such as Nine Perfect Strangers and True Spirit, and she will now be playing a role that is integral to the future of the Sonic universe.

An important character in Shadow’s origin story, Maria is the granddaughter of Gerald Robotnik and the cousin of Dr. Ivo Robotnik. Gerald had begun experimenting, leading to the creation of Shadow the Hedgehog, while working on a cure for Maria. While she suffered death at the hands of G.U.N. soldiers in the animated series, it will be interesting to see what direction the movie takes with the overall character, set to be played by Alyla Browne.

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Alyla Browne to play Maria Robotnik in Sonic 3

In the series, Maria’s death plays a crucial role in the overall character development of Shadow, effectively proving to be a critical event for the overall Sonic universe. Shadow and Maria become close friends, even though Shadow’s creation itself is directly linked to Gerald’s determination to cure his granddaughter.

The death leaves a huge impact on Shadow, who goes on a rampage of revenge following it. Whether the movie takes a similar direction will be interesting to see. Regardless, the decision to cast Alyla Browne was confirmed by the actress herself in a recent Instagram post.

Considering both the actress and the character are effectively young teenagers, the casting makes sense on paper. Browne has plenty of experience despite only being 14 and has been seen in multiple prominent roles in the past. However, the role of Maria Robotnik might as well prove to be the most crucial one that she has played thus far.

Apart from the importance of the character in the series, Maria’s bond with Shadow is also an important element of the Sonic universe, and the character can therefore be expected to hold importance in the movie series as well.

Apart from Browne, Krysten Ritter, Cristo Fernández of Ted Lasso fame, James Wolk, Jorma Taccone, and Sofia Perna have also been cast in the upcoming movie, as per IGN.

Regardless, apart from the slated role in Sonic 3, Browne already has multiple notable roles and projects lined up in the near future. She will be playing the role of Charlotte in the upcoming 2024 horror movie Sting. Her IMDB page also confirms a role in the upcoming Mad Max movie.

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Sonic 3 is expected to be in theaters on December 20, 2024.