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Sonic the Hedgehog Movie – Is This Going to Work?

Sonic the Hedgehog movie, originally scheduled to be released On November 8, 2019, has been delayed. This is due to the universally bad response from fans after viewing the movie trailer this past spring. It seems the fans did not like the rendering of Sonic the Hedgehog as presented by director Jeff Fowler.

Paramount must have been alarmed by the overwhelmingly negative feedback from fans over the trailer. Director Jeff Fowler immediately responded:

“The message is loud and clear…you aren’t happy with the design & you want changes. It’s going to happen. Everyone at Paramount & Sega are fully committed to making this character the BEST he can be,” Fowler tweeted.

 

So the main character, Sonic the Hedgehog is getting a redesign – among other suggested improvements from fans. But fans will have to wait until February 14, 2020, to view the new Sonic the Hedgehog movie. Movie and video game pundits alike are already having fun with the new date. Will the Valentine’s Day release will help fans fall in love with the reformatted Sonic the Hedgehog movie?

The Problem with Sonic the Hedgehog Movie

The problem is that the newly updated renderings of Sonic do not resemble the original character. At least, not to the satisfaction of any of his fan base. And most video game fans will accept an improved rendering of a character to a certain extent. Especially if it enhances the character’s transition to the big screen. But they will not accept alterations that change the entire feel of the character they have come to love.

A case in point is Pikachu, the CGI-enhanced character in Warner Brother’s recently released Pokémon Detective Pikachu. Although the movie takes liberties with the character (Ryan Reynold’s voice and non-stop coffee drinking), the results were well-received. Not so with the main character in Sonic the Hedgehog movie.

There has been a storm of non-stop backlash across all social media platforms as disappointed fans share their concerns. It starts with Sonic’s elongated and human-looking legs as well as the mouthful of human teeth. But the criticism doesn’t stop there. The broader shoulders and longer torso make this rendering of Sonic look more like a human in a costume. This is not even close to the short and pot-bellied trouble-making scamp feature in the Sega video games.  

There is Hope for Sonic the Hedgehog Movie

When it comes to major films from Paramount Studios and game companies like Sega, they don’t make changes. Even when the fans are outraged so prematurely. So it is unprecedented for such a delay and such extensive changes for a film this major.

Which means there is absolute hope for the successful revamp of Sonic the Hedgehog movie. Especially when director Jeff Fowler and producer Tim Miller (Deadpool) made the decision to listen to the fans.

Not the First Roadblock for Sonic the Hedgehog Movie

Paramount wasn’t the first studio to own the rights to the Sonic the Hedgehog movie. Sony Pictures owned the rights to the franchise before them. They hired director Jeff Fowler in 2016, who was to make the Sonic the Hedgehog movie his directorial debut. Paramount acquired the property in 2017 after Sony put it in turnaround. They kept Fowler as director and hired the cast by August 2018.

Another Problem Character in the Sonic the Hedgehog Movie

In the new Sonic the Hedgehog movie, Sonic isn’t the only character who has some problems. Jim Carrey’s character, Robotnik, isn’t quite as robotic-looking as fans would like. Apparently, there is some more CGI work here to do as well.

Sonic the Hedgehog Movie Plot – More Problems?

Hopefully, Fowler and Miller will go back and improve the plot as well. Here is where the rest of the movie appears to depart even further from the Sega video game. Improvements, however, may prove to be impossible. Location filming wrapped in October of 2018 in Vancouver, British Colombia. What now?

The plot appears to be somewhat standard Sonic the Hedgehog fare. Sonic’s old arch-nemesis, Robotnik, has been hired by the U.S. military to take Sonic down. The reason being that when Sonic reaches a certain speed he creates electrical disturbances in the U.S power grid. Supposedly, this also happens when he gets emotional. What? An emotional Sonic?

A police officer from the small town of Green Hills helps Sonic elude the government. They meet when Sonic is going through his trash, scavenging for food. The police officer tranquilizes Sonic and then decides to help him with his escape.

The movie, which is family-oriented, promises to put some edginess in the film. This is to appeal to the adults, but it sounds like the script may need some work too. Hopefully, everything will come together for Sonic the Hedgehog Movie, but fans will just have to wait.

Is this movie going to work? With everything extra that is being invested, it should.

Written by Maria H

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