A sequel to 2020’s blockbuster adaptation of video gaming’s favorite hedgehog Sonic has been confirmed for release next year, and will have the unsurprising title of Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
The first film, which stars James Marsden and includes Ben Schwartz as the voice of the blue hog and Jim Carrey as the eccentric Doctor Robotnik, was released in February last year, just before the COVID-19 pandemic started to take hold.
Despite this, it managed to become the 6th highest-grossing film of the year and is the most successful film based on a video game ever in North America. It’s also one of the highest critically rated official tie-ins for games.
The sequel was confirmed last May, and has been in development since, but this is the first time the name and expected release have been revealed. Knuckles is due to appear in the sequel, while Tails appeared at the end scene for the original and also seems to be confirmed from the logo, which uses the classic yellow and white twin tails.
Currently, Schwartz and Tika Sumpter, who played Maddie, are confirmed to be returning, though both Marsden and Carrey have previously expressed an interest in reprising their roles. Director Jeff Fowler and the original writing pair, Pat Casey and Josh Miller, are also working on the project.
The original movie caught the world’s attention with a trailer that heavily criticized Sonic’s model, which included more human features, including smaller eyes and hands. However, the backlash led to a rework that was met with much better reception.
While not every joke hit the mark, Sonic the Hedgehog was a fun movie, especially for kids. Jim Carrey’s performance was also a highlight, so if Paramount can bring him back and improve the script for the sequel, it has the potential to be a big hit for 2022.
