The ‘Sonic’ Movie Franchise Just Achieved Glorious New Heights

by

As I pen this review on January 5, 2025, I find myself in awe, not just for the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, but for the realm of video game movies as a whole. The staggering success of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has catapulted the film series derived from the iconic SEGA video game into unprecedented territory, surpassing a global box office total of $1 billion, securing it a spot among the top four highest-grossing video game movie franchises.

Intriguingly, when you delve deeper into its financial performance per film, Sonic the Hedgehog outshines two of the most celebrated video game adaptations: the Resident Evil franchise (boasting an impressive 10 films with an average gross of approximately $127.9 million per movie) and the prolific Pokémon series (with 24 films, averaging about $63.2 million per film).

This monumental achievement serves as a testament to the enduring appeal of Sonic and his cinematic journey, offering a glimmer of hope for future video game adaptations.

Among movies adapted from video games, those based on Super Mario Bros. have garnered the highest revenues, primarily due to the phenomenal success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which grossed an impressive $1,362,566,989. Released in February 2020 and April 2022, Sonic the Hedgehog and its sequel Sonic the Hedgehog 2 collected a combined global revenue of $725.2 million. Additionally, these films generated an extra $181 million from home entertainment sales. In April, the spinoff series Knuckles made its debut on Paramount+, amassing more than 11 million total hours worldwide within its first 28 days of streaming, making it the top Kids & Family series in terms of hours viewed on the platform.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 demonstrates that the series is thriving and gaining even more recognition, with each movie elevating its status further. It was recently launched with an “A” CinemaScore and boasts a franchise high of 86% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes by critics (tying it for first place as the best-reviewed video game adaptation ever, alongside the highly praised yet rather loose adaptation of Werewolves Within). Additionally, it gained a franchise record 96% audience score (or Popcornmeter score) on Rotten Tomatoes. Moreover, the film surpassed its predecessors by reaching $100M in international box office revenue more swiftly; it has amassed over $312 million worldwide to date.

In this latest installment of the movie franchise, we see the comeback of the initial ensemble, with Jim Carrey resuming his role as Dr. Robotnik. This movie boasts an impressive lineup of stars such as Carrey, Ben Schwartz, Krysten Ritter, Lee Majdoub, Natasha Rothwell, Adam Pally, Shemar Moore, Colleen O’Shaughnessey (voice), Alyla Browne, James Wolk, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Idris Elba, and Keanu Reeves. Jeff Fowler, who has helmed all three films in the series, is directing this film, while Pat Casey & Josh Miller, along with John Whittington, have penned the screenplay. Neal H. Moritz, Toby Ascher, Toru Nakahara, and Hitoshi Okuno serve as producers for this production.

‘Sonic the Hedgehog 4’ Is Coming

According to a statement from Paramount, it’s been revealed that they are working on a new movie for the Sonic the Hedgehog film franchise, which will be its fourth installment. The producers, Moritz and Ascher, confirmed this development.

We’re absolutely thrilled by the phenomenal reception of the ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ films worldwide. It’s a source of immense pride for us to be involved in the outstanding, globally renowned filmmaking crew that has collaborated to establish this franchise. We create these movies with our fans in mind; their enthusiasm, backing, and affection for these characters fuel us daily to keep crafting the swift, humorous, and action-packed tales that form the dynamic ‘Sonic’ Universe.

According to a press release, Paramount Pictures President and CEO Brian Robbins announced that the “Sonic the Hedgehog” franchise has grown into an unstoppable cultural phenomenon with endless possibilities. He praised Sega, the filmmaking team including Neal, Toby, and Jeff, for elevating Sonic to new heights, and expressed gratitude towards the legions of dedicated fans who have been instrumental in our journey. As we move forward, delivering more stories and characters that resonate globally, we are filled with pride and excitement, as each new chapter surpasses the previous one.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is currently in theaters from Paramount Pictures.

Read More

2025-01-06 03:03