Summary
Sonic the Hedgehog 3promises a showdown between Shadow and Sonic, butI hope the upcoming sequel doesn’t ignore one of the best parts of the first two movies. Paramount’sSonic the Hedgehogfilms are among themost successful video game adaptations, despite initial hesitation about whether they’d do the source material justice.Sonic the Hedgehogproved a hit in 2020, making around $320 million at the global box office (viaBox Office Mojo) and becoming one of the highest-grossing video game movies in North America at the time.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2continued the first film’s success, grossing over $400 million worldwide (viaBox Office Mojo) and taking thetitle of highest-grossing video game movie(though this currently belongs toThe Super Mario Bros. Movie).Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s post-credits scenealso teased more to come, and the sequel fully launchedParamount’s Sonic Cinematic Universe. I’m excited about upcoming projects from the franchise, especiallySonic the Hedgehog 3.However,I hope the sequel and its follow-ups continue to focus on one thingthat makes theSonicmovie franchise great.
8 Sonic Movies & TV Shows We Want To See After Sonic The Hedgehog 3
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 could set up several more spin-off movies and TV shows, depending on what characters are introduced and their stories.
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Shouldn’t Abandon The Franchise’s Human B Plots
Subplots Focused On Characters Like Tom & Maddie Make The Movies More Relatable
The first twoSonic the Hedgehogmovies strike an impressive balance when it comes to their storylines, prioritizing Sonic’s adventures but giving the human characters plenty of screen time. Although the human characters' conflicts are solidly B plots, they enhance the films' main storylines.I hopeSonic the Hedgehog 3doesn’t abandon these human subplots, as Tom and Maddie have become beloved characters in their own right. Plus, the focus on their lives and relationships makes these films more relatable, while Sonic’s A plots deliver the extraordinary moments longtime fans are looking for.
The first twoSonic the Hedgehogmovies strike an impressive balance when it comes to their storylines, prioritizing Sonic’s adventures but giving the human characters plenty of screen time.
While most of the earlySonic the Hedgehoggames don’t focus so heavily on humans, I thinkhaving Sonic’s world clash with the real one is a smart decision for the movies. It challenges the titular hedgehog in new ways, and it gives the audience characters they’re more likely to connect with. There’s no doubt that people are there for players like Sonic, Knuckles, and Shadow first and foremost. However, the human B plots do help explain theSonicfranchise’s cinematic success.
The Sonic The Hedgehog Movies’ B Plots Help Explain Their Success
The Films Aren’t Just For Fans Of The Video Games
Sonic the Hedgehog’s B plots help explain the movies' success, as these films aren’t just for fans of the video game franchise. I’m confident that the adaptations cater to longtime players, as bothSonic the Hedgehogmovies and theKnucklesTV series contain numerous Easter Eggs. But for video game adaptations likeSonic the HedgehogandThe Super Mario Bros. Movieto excel at the box office, they need to draw new audiences as well.Sonic’s human storylines help the movies do that, as they play up the family themes.
This makes Paramount’sSonicuniverse more likely to appeal to actual families, including children unfamiliar with the source material and parents who might otherwise be uninterested. I believeSonic the Hedgehog 3will need to capitalize on its human characters again, even if diehard fans would prefer it to focus primarily on Sonic and Shadow. With the story firmly set in the human world, it would be difficult to ignore this element of the previous two installments anyway. AndKnucklescontinues this trend — though I hopeSonic the Hedgehog 3does a better job of balancing its plots.
Knuckles Showed How Difficult It Is To Balance Human & Sonic Characters
Wade’s Story Highlights The Downsides Of The Human B Plots
While I don’t wantSonic the Hedgehog 3to ignore its human B plots,I also hope it strikes a better balance between its storylines thanKnuckles.Paramount’s TV series centers on Idris Elba’s Echidna, but like theSonicmovies, it heavily features a human character: Wade Whipple. Unfortunately, Wade’s story often overshadows Knuckles' in theSonic the Hedgehogspinoff. The plot is all over the place, withKnuckleshighlighting just how difficult it can be to balance the human additions with theSonicvideo game characters.
The plot is all over the place, withKnuckleshighlighting just how difficult it can be to balance the human additions with theSonicvideo game characters.
AlthoughKnuckles’subplots come together in the end, the series feels meandering before it gets there. It makes the balance in theSonic the Hedgehogmovies look more impressive by comparison, so hopefully,Sonic the Hedgehog 3will mirror the prior films rather than Paramount’s TV show. Of course, it’s harder to strike that balance in a long-form series than in a movie’s runtime. With that in mind, I’m hopefulSonic the Hedgehog 3will replicate its predecessors' success.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Cast
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 reunites Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails as they face a formidable new adversary, Shadow. With Shadow’s unprecedented powers posing a significant threat, Team Sonic seeks an unexpected alliance to thwart his plans and safeguard the planet.
