Old School. Biblically Independent.
By Andrew Sanford | News | June 19, 2026
Six years after its release, I finally saw the Sonic the Hedgehog movie, and it was pretty fun! It’s not anything I’m going to watch over and over again, but my kids might, because they loved it. But yes, there was lots for me to enjoy, and I’m not only talking about James Marsden’s incredible jaw. I also absolutely loved Jim Carrey in the film. He’s having so much fun, is very much aware of the kind of film he’s in, and it makes the whole thing better.
He’s chewing scenery, making big expressions, and flailing his body all over the place. Yes, I know that’s his thing, but you can tell when someone is just sleepwalking through a performance versus when they are almost energized by it, and Carrey’s turn as Dr. Eggman feels like the latter. He’s playing to all of his strengths, and also being deployed in a way that helps the film. I haven’t gotten to the sequels yet, but I’m more than aware that he will eventually play himself AND his father, and, honestly, count me in.
The franchise might be having an impact on how Carrey chooses his roles, as well. Despite claiming a few years ago that he was mostly going to retire, he still saddled up for another Sonic flick (and, soon, another) and now, he’s returning to another family-friendly film his fans have fixated on. Yes, Carrey will be returning as the Grinch, despite an admittedly torturous time making the first one. Details are still under wraps, but Ron Howard and Brian Grazer say it’s an idea they’ve been marinating on for a while.
Howard, who will return to the director’s chair, reflected on the first film while revealing how the new one could be an easier experience for Carrey. “Mostly he just toughed his way through it, and he also wouldn’t downgrade the costume, or wouldn’t not wear those contact lenses; that was before CGI could easily replace and color his eyes and things like that,” Howard told The Hollywood Reporter. “He did go through this; he did learn a lot from this expert, talked a lot about it, and relied upon those techniques, and really muscled through it. And by the way, I’ve never been more in awe of an actor creating a character and performance in any film I’ve done.”
I’m glad Carrey won’t have to wear those awful contacts, but I hope Howard doesn’t go too crazy with the CGI. I’m not an enormous fan of their first foray into Whoville, but the place looks downright magical, thanks to a heaping helping of practical effects and set and costume design. I’m sure it would be easier to CGI a lot of those things as well, I just hope that isn’t the case.
What matters, at the end of the day, is that Carrey seems happy in his (second?) “kid’s movie era.” He’s good at it, and if Howard’s pitch was good enough to get him to return from semi-retirement, I hope that excitement translates to the screen.
