Paramount Pictures and SEGA have announced the development of the third feature film in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise along with a live-action series. This will be the first-ever live-action Sonic series by SEGA and Paramount+ and it will launch in 2023. The Paramount+ series will be based on the character Knuckles who will be voiced by Idris Elba. SEGA details that the first movie broke multiple box office records leading to additional movies in the franchise.
The movie earned nearly $320 million worldwide box office. The second movie Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is slated for release on April 8, 2022, which features the original cast of the first movie along with re-teaming the director Jeff Fowler with writers Pat Casey and Josh Miller. Producers on the movie include Neal H. Moritz, Toby Ascher, and Toru Nakahara along with Haruki Satomi, Nan Morales, and Tim Miller executive producing.
Haruki Satomi, CEO of SEGA CORPORATION commented:
We are delighted to announce that the third Sonic theatrical film and the first live action Sonic series for Paramount+ are being actively developed. We’ve got a remarkable partnership with Paramount, and we are excited to continue expanding the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise with them. 2022 is shaping up to be a significant year for the franchise with the second film being released this April, as well as Sonic Frontiers, the highly anticipated video game title, coming this holiday. Sonic has been beloved by fans across the world for over 30 years and we look forward to continuing to bring memorable moments and experiences to them for many years to come.
Brian Robbins President and CEO, Paramount Pictures & Nickelodeon; Chief Content Officer, Movies, Kids & Family – Paramount+ also said:
For more than three decades, Sonic the Hedgehog’s universe of vibrant, unique characters has generated one of the most passionate fanbases. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with SEGA, Neal Moritz, and all our creative partners as we explore additive ways to holistically scale the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise across platforms and captivate its loyal audience around the world.
Producer Neal Moritz also commented:
The world of Sonic the Hedgehog has been capturing imaginations for decades, and we are thrilled to stretch the limits of what this franchise is capable of with world-class offerings both on the big screen and for Sonic fans at home. The sky is truly the limit, and I am immensely proud to be part of creating new Sonic content for longtime fans as well as introducing Sonic to a new generation.
Sonic the Hedgehog is based on the global blockbuster videogame franchise Sonic and the film series tells the story of Sonic as he is trying to settle on his new home, Earth. The first movie in the franchise was released back in February 2020 and it tells the story of Sonic and his best friend Tom as they team up to defend the planet from the evil genius Dr. Robotnik. SEGA also announced a new open-world Sonic title last year called Sonic Frontiers.
Are you looking forward to the third movie in the Sonic franchise? Or would you rather wait for the newly announced live-action series featuring Knuckles? Let us know in the comments section below.
