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This story was initially written by Rob Hutchins for our sister-title Licensing.biz. You can read the original story right here.
Sega and Paramount are giving the fans what they want, by going back to the drawing board to redesign their live-action redesign of Sonic the Hedgehog.
Reaction wasn’t quite what either the video game company or film studio was expecting when the pair unveiled the first Sonic the Hedgehog movie trailer earlier this week, as fans immediately took to social media to voice their shock at the new-look Sonic.
The biggest complaint to emerge around the live-action trailer was simply that Sonic looked nothing like the character fans had grown up with or remembered from Sega’s blockbuster Sonic the Hedgehog video game and animation franchise.
It was only a few hours ago that both companies confirmed they will be addressing the issues highlighted, when the film’s director Jeff Fowler tweeted (see below): “Thank you for the support. And the criticism. The message is loud and clear… you aren’t happy with the design and you want changes. It’s going to happen. Everyone at Paramount and Sega are fully committed to making this character the BEST he can be.”
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
The tweet was in response to not just a barrage of shocked reactions, but a deluge that appeared to sweep the internet – certainly social platforms, where comments like “this [Sonic] makes me want to die faster than he runs,” started to pop up at a rapid rate.
It isn’t remarkable for a CG character model to be tweaked this late in the day. The Sonic movie is scheduled for a November release, giving the teams six months to work out the kinks. Whether this can be successfully done for a film’s title character remains to be seen.
Many have suggested that the look of Sonic could be improved simply by changing the character’s human-like teeth.
Sega and Paramount’s swift response to the fans has not only put them in good stead in working to deliver a character that fans want to see, but has highlighted the ever growing power of fandom in shaping the product that companies in the licensing space deliver.
Video game movies have historically had a tough time at the box office. Could Sega and Paramount now be looking to set a new precedent in the space?
Here’s the trailer that released earlier this week:
This story was initially written by Rob Hutchins for our sister-title Licensing.biz. You can read the original story right here.
