6 Years Later, Jim Carrey’s $1.2 Billion Franchise Keeps Getting Better Ahead Of 2027 Return

Jim Carrey has built an incredibly successful and versatile career over the last several decades. The longtime comedian rose to box office stardom in the 1990s and maintained his A-list status throughout most of the 2000s before slowing down his output in the 2010s. It’s helped his movies accumulate a total of over $6 billion, with the large sum matching his larger-than-life personality.

Part of what makes Carrey’s success so impressive is that he did so much of it without franchises. Sure, he did IP plays like Batman Forever and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, but Ace Ventura and Dumb and Dumber were original concepts that received significantly worse sequels. It’s a recent franchise for Carrey that’s been improving over the last six years.

The Sonic Movies Have Kept Getting Better & Jim Carrey Is The Main Villain

Carrey made a surprise career decision to tackle one of his biggest roles ever in 2020 by joining Paramount’s first Sonic the Hedgehog as the main villain, Dr. Robotnik. He’s returned for the two sequels that came in 2022 and 2024, with Sonic the Hedgehog 3 giving him the ability to play two characters.

Carrey’s performance as Robotnik is a highlight of all three Sonic the Hedgehog movies, and rather than waste his memorable comedic work in easy cash grabs, the franchise keeps getting better with each new entry. This has been evident with the critical reception of the films, as well as at the box office.

The first Sonic earned a 64% Rotten Tomatoes score and made $319 million worldwide. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 had a five point jump on Rotten Tomatoes and grossed an additional $86 million at the box office. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 proved to be the biggest and best entry yet, as it got an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and totaled $492 million worldwide.

The better reviews and box office performance that have come with each Sonic movie is a rare feat for any franchise. I’d even argue that Carrey’s Robotnik has gotten better with each appearance, with him becoming more like his video game counterpart physically and personality-wise. The chance to see Carrey play two versions of Eggman in Sonic 3 was a real treat, too, on top of the film’s debut of Shadow.

The Sonic Movie Franchise Will Continue In 2027

Shadow and Sonic the Hedgehog from the most recent film

Sonic‘s ascending status critically and financially will be put to the test next in 2027. Paramount has officially given Sonic the Hedgehog 4 a March 11, 2027 release date. There’s no reason to think it won’t be the biggest entry in the franchise yet, especially with the likelihood it sets up the mystery Sonic event film planned for 2028.

While bigger does not always equal better when it comes to movies, especially franchise sequels, there are reasons to hope Sonic 4 will keep the series trending in the right direction. The additions of Amy Rose and Metal Sonic are exciting, and the increased interest in these films over the last six years bodes well for more fans seeking out the fourth entry next year.

And should the story continue to stay fun while also becoming more mature in its storytelling and themes, critics and general audiences alike could wind up thinking Sonic 4 is the best one yet, regardless of whether Carrey returns. If he does, he’ll continue to play a pivotal part in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise’s ongoing success.