Acclaimed actor and bona fide modern sex symbol Idris Elba got a rude awakening today when he found out that taking the role of Knuckles in the new Sonic the Hedgehog movie might not be the break from the thirst of his fans that he probably thought it was.

The 49-year-old British hunk is used to being fawned over: Since his rise to international fame as Stringer Bell in the hit HBO drama The Wire, Elba has had a reputation for making people swoon - so much so that it even became a joke when he had a stint on The Office as the no-nonsense manager Charles Miner, who is cooly and unresponsively "aware of the effect" he has on women.

So imagine Elba's surprise and confusion when, in an interview about the new animated sequel where he will be doing a voiceover for a red echidna named Knuckles, ScreenRant asked if he would be bringing his signature sexiness to the role. His response:

"Honestly, I cannot say. Contractually, I cannot say anything. But I wouldn't say he was sexy. I don't think I'm going for that. That's for sure."

Elba was tight-lipped about every other detail regarding the character - which shows how truly irrelevant he must have thought the detail was. To the Sonic fandom, however, it was a landmine.

Sonic Twitter exploded in all directions upon hearing the news. Some were dismayed at the prospect of a non-sexy Knuckles (as an outsider to the fandom, I always thought if any of them was the sexy one, it would be Shadow, but I digress); Others laughed at the mere idea that Elba could sound anything BUT sexy.


Still others (like me) simply laughed at how confused we know Elba must be right about now.


Elba joins an existing cast that includes comedian Ben Schwartz (known best as Jean Ralphio from Parks & Recreation) and Jim Carrey, among many others. Sonic The Hedgehog 2 will be released in theaters April 8, 2022.

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Ben Schwartz, Jim Carrey, Idris elba