The news comes just a day ahead of Sonic 3's official theatrical premiere, which signals that Paramount is happy with the threequel's early reviews. Variety reports that Sonic 3 is expected to rake in $55 million to $60 million from 3,800 North American theaters this holiday season (and that's just the domestic box office), hence the early green lighting of yet another sequel.

While its box office success is yet to be confirmed, Sonic 3 is a critical darling, debuting to an 85% Rotten Tomatoes score — one tiny percentage point behind the highest rated video game movie ever, Werewolves Within.

GamesRadar+'s Sonic 3 review is a little less positive than the average, giving the movie a respectable 3/5 stars and prophetically calling it "a fine, wheel-turning instalment in a continually burgeoning franchise that will no doubt continue for many years to come".

The Sonic 3 cast includes Jim Carrey as main antagonist Dr. Ivo Robotnik as well as Ivo's grandfather Gerald Robotnik, Ben Schwartz as Sonic the Hedgehog, and Keanu Reeves as the fan-favorite Shadow the Hedgehog. James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Idris Elba, and Colleen O’Shaughnesse are also in the cast. Jeff Fowler directed all three Sonic movies.

Sonic 4 plot details, as well as information on the cast, are being kept under wraps for now.

For more, check out our ranking of the best Sonic games or our interview with Carrey, where he explains what it is about the Sonic franchise that keeps him coming back.