Following shall we say… a bit of backlash, the fastest thing alive, Sonic the Hedgehog, has been reworked for his live-action cinematic debut.
Much like a lot of the Disney films of today, Sonic the Hedgehog is also in the cross-hairs of the live-action treatment, however turning the lovable, cheeky blue hedgehog into something fitting for a real-world movie proved a tad tricky.
When the Sonic movie trailer dropped back in April, the entire world (and Esquire team) were horrified to see the creepy human-esque design of Sonic. It was so poorly received in fact that the film’s director Jeff Fowler delayed the film from its original November release all the way to February in order to re-work 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) 2 May 2019
Fast forward to now and we’ve got a leaked image of the new Sonic to look at. Thankfully the second attempt at the hedgehog is far less nightmare-inducing and opts for a far more cartoony take on the hero. Sonic’s body proportions have been made smaller and cuter, his eyes are less human-y, and all in all he now looks like he’s been plucked right from his video games rather than a science experiment gone wrong.
— ; (@BestInTheGalaxy) 14 October 2019
The leak shows two images, one of the hero running in front of a backdrop of Jim Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik (Egg-Man), and the other showing the Blue Blur running with determination on his face. The leak came from a Twitter user claiming to have a friend at Paramount Studios, the studio responsible for the film.
Here is the official synopsis for Sonic the Hedgehog:
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG is a live-action adventure comedy based on the global blockbuster video game franchise from Sega that centres on the infamously brash bright blue hedgehog. The film follows the (mis)adventures of Sonic as he navigates the complexities of life on Earth with his newfound – human – best friend Tom Wachowski (James Marsden). Sonic and Tom join forces to try and stop the villainous Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) from capturing Sonic and using his immense powers for world domination.
The film is expected to hit screens on February 14, 2020.
Taking a little more time to make Sonic just right.#novfxartistswereharmedinthemakingofthismovie pic.twitter.com/gxhu9lhU76
— Jeff Fowler (@fowltown) 24 May 2019
You can watch the original trailer below, at your own risk that is.
