Sonic the Hedgehog 3 finally adds Chao in some shape or form to the movie franchise 

While the main draw of the long-awaited Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie is Keanu Reeves’ Shadow the Hedgehog, keen-eyed fans will notice various Easter eggs and references to the franchise strewn throughout the movie’s first official trailer. One of these Easter eggs lasts for a split-second but features the cute and cuddly Chao creatures. 

First appearing in the 1998 Sega Dreamcast game Sonic Adventure, Chao are fairy-like beings whose large heads are far bigger than their tiny bodies. Because of their shape, size, and the fact that you could breed them in Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2, Chao are seen as the mascots of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise (excluding Sonic and the rest of the main cast, of course).  

While all Chao are capable of flight thanks to their wings, some of them, like the mutant Chao Chaos, possess powers like immortality, shapeshifting, and the ability to absorb energy from Chaos Emeralds. Most Chao are too vulnerable for combat though, and are content with being pampered and living their simple lives. 

The Chao in the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 trailer, while appearing similar to those found in other Sonic media, don’t seem real. For starters, they are far larger than Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, and their adoptive human father Tom Wachowski. The Chao on stage are also less animated than the film’s anthropomorphic cast, hinting that they might just be real people in mascot costumes. Although the sign at the back of the performing stage reads “Chao Garden”, which is a reference to areas where Chao live and breed, this is likely just a theme park based on the real Chao creatures. 

There is still a chance that actual Chao could appear in the Sonic the Hedgehog movies. Real Chao Gardens are found on Sonic the Hedgehog’s version of Earth, after all, and the idea for creating the Chao Garden theme park must have come from somewhere for it to appear in the film. Fans might be disappointed at seeing Chao mascots instead of real Chao, but their appearance in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 means that the film’s creators are paying attention to the source material. Hopefully Sonic the Hedgehog 3 still has room for more digitally recreated characters, with Chao being on the top of the wishlist.