Kristen Bell joins ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 4’: Actor to voice Amy Rose in upcoming sequel

Actor Kristen Bell has joined the voice cast of 'Sonic the Hedgehog 4', where she will voice Amy Rose, the pink character known for having a major crush on the iconic blue speedster, according to Variety.The casting news was shared by Ben Schwartz, who voices Sonic in Paramount's live-action/CGI hybrid film series, through a post on Instagram. "WE HAVE OUR AMY ROSE!!! And I could not be more excited!!! Please welcome the incredible @kristenanniebell to the @sonicmovie family!!!," Schwartz wrote.Bell is widely known for her voice work, including her role as Anna in Disney's Frozen franchise. She also lent her voice to a sloth in Zootopia 2 and narrated the popular CW television series Gossip Girl, according to Variety. The actor rose to fame with the 2004 teen drama Veronica Mars and currently stars in the Netflix series Nobody Wants This.Plot details for Sonic the Hedgehog 4 remain under wraps. However, Metal Sonic -- an intelligent robot with a darker side who appeared alongside Amy Rose in the mid-credits scene of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 -- is expected to feature in the upcoming film. The voice actor for the character has not yet been revealed.Previous films in the franchise featured Idris Elba and Colleen O'Shaughnessey voicing Knuckles and Tails, while Keanu Reeves voices the character Shadow. Meanwhile, Jim Carrey portrays Sonic's main antagonist Dr Robotnik, and James Marsden and Tika Sumpter play Sonic's adoptive parental figures in human form.The franchise is directed by Jeff Fowler, who has helmed all three films so far. The Sonic the Hedgehog series has collectively grossed over USD 1 billion at the global box office, according to Variety.The fourth instalment is scheduled to hit theatres in March 2027.