Jim Carrey Reveals Why He Returned for ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’: “I Need the Money”

Jim Carrey is getting candid about his reason for returning for Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

The veteran actor, who has stepped back from acting and the spotlight over the past decade, revealed to the Associated Press the film’s U.K. premiere on Tuesday why he chose to reprise his role as villain Dr. Robotnik in the upcoming sequel, zooming into theaters on Dec. 20.

“I came back to this universe because, first of all, I get to play a genius, which is a bit of a stretch. And, you know, it’s just… I bought a lot of stuff and I need the money, frankly. Yeah,” Carrey admitted with a smile.

Following a robust acting career in the ’80s, ’90s and early 2000s, the Ace Ventura star has been quite selective in recent years regarding which projects he takes. He even told Access Hollywood in 2022, while promoting Sonic the Hedgehog 2, that he was planning on retiring from acting.

“I’m being fairly serious,” he said at the time. “It depends. If the angels bring some sort of script that’s written in gold ink, that says to me that it’s going to be really important for people to see, I might continue down the road. But I’m taking a break.”

But even before talks of retirement, the Dumb and Dumber actor already had one foot out the door from Hollywood, turning his attention to other passions, such as developing his skills as a political cartoonist.

“I just didn’t want to be in the business anymore,” Carrey told The Hollywood Reporter in 2018. “I didn’t like what was happening, the corporations taking over and all that. And maybe it’s because I felt pulled toward a different type of creative outlet and I really liked the control of painting — of not having a committee in the way telling me what the idea must be to appeal to a four-quadrant whatever.”

In addition to Dr. Robotnik, Carrey also voices his villain’s grandfather, Gerald Robotnik, in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. The voice cast also includes Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba, James Marsden, Ben Schwartz, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, Shemar Moore, Adam Pally and Krysten Ritter.