Skip to main content

Sonic’s box-office record is good news for video game movies

After the near-death experience Sonic The Hedgehog experienced at the hands of Twitter last April, the $57 million it made in its opening weekend is a shock to many. It holds the record for the best debut for a film based on a video game, beating out Detective Pikachu’s $54.3 million take from 2019. A smart redesign of the Sega character and the film’s ability to fill a gap in the viewing market could be what makes Sonic a continued success.

“North American audiences have had a very rocky relationship with movies based on video games, with very mixed results at the box office and generally horrible reviews from the critics,” Comscore’s senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian said. Even the 1993 movie version of one of the most recognizable and arguably popular brands — Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. — flopped at the box office. With the film’s international box office included, Sonic’s opening total is closer to $100 million.

A 64% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a built-in fan base helped Sonic beat films like Tomb Raider, Warcraft, and The Angry Birds Movie. Sonic also had big-name actor appeal, with performances by Jim Carrey and James Marsden.

When the first trailer for the film hit Twitter in April 2019, the internet roasted the main character’s human-like teeth, skin, limbs, and overall design for being too realistic, with some describing it as “nightmare fuel,” according to USA Today film critic Brian Truitt.

Therapist: Sonic with human teeth isn't real, he can't hurt you

Sonic with human teeth: pic.twitter.com/hOBy6QFLVK

— murphy, (@sunyshorecity) April 30, 2019

“We just went too far,” director Jeff Fowler told USA Today. “There was just too much realism. We just lost what it was that fans loved about the character.” Instead of allowing the swift and negative social media takedown to derail the project, Fowler and Paramount studios delayed the release of the film by three months in order to redesign Sonic.

Thank you for the support. And the criticism. 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… #sonicmovie #gottafixfast ????✌️

— Jeff Fowler (@fowltown) May 2, 2019

Dergarabedian said “very publicly” listening to fans was the right move. Fowler acknowledged issues on Twitter head-on and as a result, he “turned, what ordinarily would be a disastrous situation for any film into box-office gold, with the changes they made not only raising awareness of the film, but also pleasing fans who now felt like they had a hand [in these] very changes.”

Paramount’s head of distribution Chris Aronson agreed: “If you don’t listen to your customer, and this goes for any business, then you’re going to fail.”

Sonic also managed to avoid another pitfall after missing out on the lucrative holiday release in the U.S. because the movie fills a “huge void in the marketplace by offering a fun, family-friendly PG-rated romp, and audiences around the world embraced the film,” Dergarabedian said.

Overall, critics have agreed the months spent redesigning the character was the right move, even if they did not fully enjoy the movie. Screenrant said it accomplishes “what it sets out to do: Tell a fun, entertaining and heartfelt story about a young outcast hedgehog who finds his place in the world.”

Sonic the Hedgehog Super Bowl TV Spot (2020) | #CatchSonic | Movieclip Trailers

Editors' Recommendations

Mythili Sampathkumar
Mythili is a freelance journalist based in New York. When not reporting about politics, foreign policy, entertainment, and…
Check out one of the great sports movies ever made before it leaves Prime Video next week
underrated movies prime video september 2023 the bad news bears

Every great streaming service has a bevy of worthy movies for you to check out. Unfortunately, given the fractured nature of the streaming landscape, it can be nearly impossible to keep track of what titles are on what service.

Prime Video has an ideal combination of archived titles and originals, and one of those archived titles is well worth checking out before it leaves the service. The Bad News Bears is one of the great sports movies of the 1970s. Here are three reasons you should check it out before the movie leaves Prime Video at the end of October.
It's the template for all your favorite sports movies

Read more
7 biggest horror movie bombs of all time, ranked by adjusted box office losses
A group of astronauts stand together in Supernova.

In a theatrical landscape dominated by franchises, sequels, and IP, horror remains one of the most reliable genres at the box office. Audiences have proven they will come out to the theater for horror movies. Classics like Jaws and The Exorcist are among the biggest horror hits of all time. The horror genre also has spawned numerous success stories of low-budget films churning huge profits. Notable examples include Paranormal Activity and The Blair Witch Project.

However, not every horror film can be a hit. Some movies flop hard at the box office, with losses exceeding $100 million. Below, we listed the seven biggest horror movie bombs of all time, ranked by their estimated losses adjusted for inflation.

Read more
3 action movies on Prime Video you need to watch in October
Dwayne Johnson strides toward the camera as Black Adam.

October is a month when you really need to hype yourself up. Not only do you need to mentally prepare for the upcoming holiday season, you also need to get ready for the colder weather to come. Relaxing at home with one of the best action movies on Prime Video can really get you pumped for the challenging and busy months to come.

Here, we have put together 3 action movies on Prime Video you need to watch in October. You might have already seen a few, but they have great re-watch potential. And if you haven’t watched them yet, what are you waiting for? With these flicks streaming on Amazon Prime Video right now, it’s the perfect time to watch them before they’re gone.
Black Adam (2022)
Black Adam – Official Trailer 1

Read more