From Ugly Sonic To Over A Billion Dollars. Why The Sonic The Hedgehog Franchise Should Be Studied

It might seem hard to believe, since it feels like a million years ago, but for a time, it seemed like bringing Sonic the Hedgehog to the big screen would be dead on arrival. That all goes back to Sonic’s original cinematic design, and the immediate backlash that followed.

As a recap, prior to the successful 2020 film (which I still think is one of the best video game movies of all time), we got our first trailer for the then-new movie, and my God. I think every Sonic fan had the same reaction: “Look how they massacred my boy!”

However, the year is now 2026, and we actually have a FOURTH Sonic movie on the way. Not only that, but what seemed like an ostensibly doomed franchise has now made over a BILLION dollars worldwide. How did this come to be? Well, I have some theories.

Firstly, Listening To The Internet - For Once - Was Actually The Right Call

Now, here’s the thing. You simply cannot trust the internet. I know it seems like everybody’s on it, and voicing their opinions, but when it comes to major studios, it’s probably best to not pay it any mind. For example, just think about Morbius being re-released in theaters because of all the memes…only for it to fall flat on its face a second time. Or, an even further back example, think about all of the online fervor for Snakes on a Plane…only for the film to underperform at the box office (I still love it, though).

Hell, let’s just think about all of the people who complained about Heath Ledger being the Joker when we first heard the casting, only for him to arguably be the best live-action version of the character. The point I’m making is, all signs usually point to it being in the studio's best interest to NOT listen to the internet.

And yet, Paramount did, and…well, thank God they did, because I’m not sure if we would have gotten three sequels if they didn’t. Granted, people probably would have seen the first movie regardless of how bad Sonic looked. But, lots of people (myself included) would have gone into it solely to see what a trainwreck it might be.

The old, “ugly” Sonic would have been more of a distraction than anything. But, with the new, cartoony version, there was a lot more goodwill going into that movie. Not only did it feel like the internet “won,” with them changing it, but the new design was genuinely appealing to the eye. So, that’s just ONE reason for the franchise’s early success.

They Leaned Hard Into The Sonic Games To Great Success

Now, while I really loved the first movie, I know a lot of Sonic fans were a bit disappointed with it. Yes, we got to see some locales that resembled the game in the beginning of the movie, but most of the film took place in our world, which was a bit underwhelming for some. (Would they have preferred if it took place in an alternate universe dinosaur city, a la the first Super Mario Bros. movie?)

However, it seemed like Paramount listened to fans again, since the second movie felt WAY closer to the games. For one thing, they introduced series mainstays Tails, AND Knuckles. For another thing, there was a plot concerning a quest for the Master Emerald, and we even got Super Sonic in the sequel.

Not only that, but it just went way bigger than the first movie, and seemed to acknowledge that this one was for the fans. We got callbacks to the games, like Tails flying his red plane, and even a post-credit scene featuring another popular character in Shadow the Hedgehog. The cool thing is, even if you weren’t a fan of the Sonic series, it still seemed a lot more exciting, action-wise, than the first film.

Leaning into the games is something that The Super Mario Bros. Movie did with aplomb (maybe even too much, as we said in our review). But Sonic 2 did it first…and, maybe even less annoyingly.

It’s Also Interesting That Jim Carrey Quite Regularly Outshines The Main Attraction

Way back when, our very own Mack Rawden wrote about how he had a great time watching Jim Carrey be a complete weirdo in the first movie, but I actually think there’s something to that, as to why the series is so successful. Because, with each subsequent film, Carrey seems to have more and more of a role, and go even more over the top.

I don’t think this should be understated. In a lot of ways, it isn’t Sonic carrying these movies, it’s Carrey. In the second movie, you would think Idris Elba’s Knuckles would be the star attraction, outside of Sonic and Tails, of course, but no. It was still Carrey, whose manic performance is what’s really keeping the films engaging.

For further proof, just take a look at the latest entry, Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Yes, it had Keanu Reeves voicing Shadow the Hedgehog, and yes, he was instrumental to the plot, but would the movie have even worked without Carrey (who actually had TWO roles)?

I honestly don’t think Sonic or his friends could carry these films by themselves. But with Jim Carrey? Well, it’s golden. Now, let’s see what he has in store for us in Sonic the Hedgehog 4. (Will there be body doubles?)

The Way Paramount Was Able To Make A Spin-Off So Quickly Is Also Quite Impressive

You know what’s important with any successful franchise? Consistency, and we got that with the first Sonic movie coming out in 2020, the sequel in 2022, Sonic 3 in 2024, and the next installment coming out in 2027 (which isn’t a two year gap like the previous two, but close enough).

However, do you know what makes a franchise even MORE successful? Spin-offs, and we got that with 2024’s TV series, Knuckles, which had the echidna buddying up with the deputy sheriff from the movies, played by Adam Pally. Now, was the show good? Well, I’d say it was pretty decent, but it was missing Carrey, so that’s a few points off of it right there.

That said, brand recognition is important, and keeping fans interested in the property in between movies is another important reason why this series is now a billion dollar franchise.

Now, the only question is whether these characters will branch off into their own movies, like a potential Shadow the Hedgehog film. It’s hard to say at this point, but the series is currently bigger than ever.

Resident Evil Currently Has More Movies, But It’s Impressive That Sonic Will Be At Four

But, do you want to know the most interesting thing about the Sonic movies? They make more and more money with each entry. Instead of diminishing returns, these sequels are reaching milestones.

The first movie made $319 million worldwide, its sequel made around $405 million globally, and Sonic 3 made over $425 million worldwide, so if anything, the series is getting bigger, not smaller. And, with Amy coming in the fourth movie, I can only imagine what that total will be.

Again, these movies should be studied. I mentioned changing Sonic’s look, leaning into the games, Jim Carrey, and a spin-off, but there must be something else that is propelling this franchise into the stratosphere.

Also, while Resident Evil has more movies than Sonic at 7 (soon to be eight), the blue blur is catching up, which is impressive, given what a disaster it could have been with that initial design.