Maps of Movies

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024)

Where Sonic the Hedgehog 3 says it takes place, and where it was really shot.

From a Montana backyard to Tokyo and a London vault: where did Sonic's biggest movie really get filmed, and why is the answer mostly 'in a studio'?

Scenes and places

The ocean prison where Shadow sleeps

A hacker breaks into the prison system and the containment holding Shadow starts to fail. The guards on duty barely have time to react.

Set in G.U.N. prison facility, off the coast of Japan — A G.U.N. prison facility off the coast of Japan, where someone hacks the system.

A military prison facility at sea; the film gives no exact position.

Home in Green Hills

Sonic celebrates the anniversary of his arrival on Earth with Tails, Knuckles and his adoptive family. A friendly race starts, until G.U.N. Director Rockwell turns up to recruit them.

Set in Green Hills, Montana — The small Montana town where Sonic lives with Tom and Maddie; the coordinate is the state's center, not the town.

A quiet Montana town used as the family's home.

Team Sonic meets Shadow in Tokyo

G.U.N. sends Team Sonic to Tokyo to catch Shadow, but he overpowers all three and escapes. They regroup at a themed restaurant, where Commander Walters tells them who Shadow is.

Set in Tokyo, Japan (Chao Garden restaurant) — Tokyo, where Team Sonic tries to catch Shadow and later regroups at a Chao Gardens-themed restaurant. The coordinate is the city point. Google Maps · Apple Maps

Japan's capital, with a made-up Chao Garden restaurant in the film.

The meteor crash in 1974

Walters tells Team Sonic that a meteorite carrying a life form crashed in Oklahoma more than fifty years ago. The military seizes it and Shadow is studied at a G.U.N. facility.

Set in Oklahoma, United States — A quiet corner of Oklahoma, where a meteorite carrying Shadow lands in 1974. The coordinate is the state's representative point, not the site. Google Maps · Apple Maps

A state in the U.S. Midwest.

The abandoned G.U.N. facility

Team Sonic forms an uneasy alliance with Ivo and follows the stolen drones to the facility. There Ivo meets Gerald, the grandfather he thought was long gone.

Set in Abandoned G.U.N. facility (location not given) — An abandoned G.U.N. facility where the stolen drones are tracked and Ivo meets Gerald.

An old research site with no place named in the film.

Stealing the key at G.U.N. headquarters

Team Sonic recruits Tom and Maddie to steal the second keycard needed for the Eclipse Cannon. Tom gets it by disguising himself as Walters, but the plan goes wrong when Shadow arrives.

Set in G.U.N. headquarters, London — G.U.N.'s headquarters in London in the story; the coordinate is the city point, not a building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

The capital of the United Kingdom.

Filmed at London, England (exact site not named) — The article says filming with actors began in London in November 2023; it names no street or building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: No specific site is published, so there is nothing to visit yet.

The Eclipse Cannon in orbit

Gerald and Ivo launch the Eclipse Cannon with the two keycards, and Sonic goes after Shadow to stop it. Everyone's choices decide where the beam goes.

Set in Eclipse Cannon (in orbit) — An orbiting laser weapon designed for G.U.N.; it has no place on Earth.

A fictional space weapon in Earth orbit.

Filmed at Farnham, Surrey, England — Animated-character filming Google Maps · Apple Maps

Characters

• Sonic — A blue hedgehog who recruits his family to chase a rival.
• Shadow — A dark hedgehog released from a G.U.N. prison, driven by revenge.
• Dr. Ivo Robotnik — A genius who allies with the team when his own family plan appears.
• Tails — Sonic's fox friend, who carries the first keycard.

Questions answered on the map

• Where was Sonic the Hedgehog 3 actually filmed?
• Is the Tokyo Chao Garden restaurant from Sonic 3 real?