At CinemaCon this past week, big movie studios previewed their upcoming films. Some films got trailers, others just images. One of the studios present was Paramount, the producing studio behind the upcoming film based on Sonic the Hedgehog. Though no clips were present, the studio did showcase a logo for the film. Twitter user Caleb Williams of the site Omega Underground snagged a picture of the logo, shown below.
The logo itself is simplistic, reminiscent of the modern era. Also seen is a roadway, presumably where we’ll see the famed hedgehog speed blitz through. That’s not the end of the news however. Another picture has been making the rounds across the internet. This image, shown below, originates from ComicBook.com. They say they got this logo from CinemaCon as well, and is much more interesting to discuss.
The logo itself is the same as in the first picture. Of interesting note of course, is that Sonic himself is present. The design is based on the modern era, first seen in Sonic Adventure and more recently Sonic Forces. Despite the current popularity of the retro, Genesis design thanks to Sonic Mania, it looks like the film will be utilizing the design that has been the standard for the last 20 years. Intriguingly, when looking closely at the picture, the Sonic render looks exactly like this picture of him.
The picture linked is the render SEGA made for the game, Sonic the Hedgehog 4. The eye placement, and especially the smirk, is the same as in the image ComicBook.com took. This means that either Paramount is utilizing a placeholder stock image, or it just looks uncannily similar. Either way, fans of the modern Sonic design should have something to look forward to.
The Sonic The Hedgehog film aims to be a live action/CG hybrid, according to SEGA Sammy Holdings Inc. CEO Hajime Satomi, in an interview with The World Folio. Deadpool director Tim Miller is set to be an executive producer, and Jeff Fowler will direct the Blue Blur’s big screen debut. (Although Sonic did make a few cameos in Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph.) In recent time, live action/CG hybrid movies have gotten negative feedback. Yogi Bear, The Smurfs, Alvin and the Chipmunks, and Woody Woodpecker (Woody didn’t even make it to American theaters) are not the most beloved movies out there. But with an icon as big as Sonic, hopefully everyone involved will treat the source material with respect, knowing full well that Sonic can be comedic, but also have compelling, serious storylines.
Back in 2013, Blue Core Studios uploaded a spec film, showcasing what a CGI Sonic could look like in a live action environment. It is a well made production, worth checking out. We shall see if Paramount’s film, due to release November 15, 2019, will do the famous hedgehog justice.
