Actor Keanu Reeves has said he joined the cast of Sonic The Hedgehog 3 as he is “a big fan” of the series.

Reeves, 60, plays Shadow in the latest film adaption of the Sega video game, which will see Sonic, Knuckles and Tails battle him to protect the planet.

Speaking at the movie’s London premiere on Tuesday, the Canadian star said: “I’m a big fan, I mean, I really enjoyed the first two films.

“I really liked the character of Shadow, so I was really excited to try to be a part of it.”

The Matrix actor went on to speak about the differences between voice acting and appearing on screen.

He added: “It’s fun to play pretend, I love acting, so it’s fun to try and inhabit another character.

“There’s an intensity to doing voice work and specificity, it’s kind of more like doing, it’s its own thing, because it’s kind of like theatre, but no audience.

“So it’s like doing radio, and it’s just fun.”

Sonic The Hedgehog 3 will be released in UK cinemas on December 20 (Ian West/PA) (PA Wire)

Canadian-American actor Jim Carrey co-stars as villain Doctor Eggman, a role he told the PA news agency it was “great” to be playing again.

Carrey told PA: “I do like to play a character filled with disdain here and there, the Grinch was that.

“But there were other characters like The Truman Show, he’s somebody who loves the world and believes in the world, and believes in the people in his life, and believes in his neighbours, and he’s just a good-hearted soul that finds out there’s something more in the world than what he knows and something beyond his own neighbourhood.

“So it’s a lovely story, but they’re all different characters, they all have different desires, and you have to do something special with each one.”

He added: “I just let it rip when they say action, it’s just a perfect excuse to be an obstreperous bloviating bag of ill will.

“And then of course they say cut, and all of that horrible politeness and needing to be loved seeps back in.”

Sonic The Hedgehog 3 will be released in UK cinemas on Friday December 20.

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