Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was theatrically released in several markets on March 30, 2022, in the United States on April 8, and in Japan on August 19. Like its predecessor, it set several box office records for a video game film and received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the performances and action sequences but criticized the screenplay and runtime. It grossed $405.4 million worldwide. A television series,Knuckles, anda third film were released in 2024.
Sonic lives with the Wachowskis and attempts to help the public as a vigilante hero with little success due to his recklessness. While on a fishing trip, Tom advises Sonic to remain patient for the day his powers will be needed. He and Maddie depart for her sister Rachel's wedding inHawaii, leaving Sonic in charge of the house for the weekend.
While staying at home that night, Sonic is ambushed by his old enemyDr. Robotnik, who has escaped the mushroom planet he was banished to,[c] andKnuckles, anechidna warrior who is his newest henchman. Knuckles demands the location of the legendaryMaster Emerald—an ancient relic that grants its user ultimate power and the ability to change reality to their will—so he can bring honor to his ancestors. Sonic is rescued byMiles "Tails" Prower, a young two-tailed fox who idolizes him and has come to warn him about Knuckles.
Sonic convinces Tails to help him find the Master Emerald while Robotnik reunites with his assistant,Agent Stone, and forms an alliance with Knuckles, scheming to steal the emerald. Following clues on a map given to Sonic by his late former guardian, Longclaw, Sonic and Tails find a compass within a temple inSiberia. Knuckles and Robotnik track them and chase Sonic and Tails down a mountain. Knuckles reveals that he lost his whole tribe the same day Sonic lost Longclaw. Despite this brief moment of sympathy, Knuckles and Robotnik steal the compass. However, Knuckles grows suspicious of Robotnik's sense of loyalty and honor when he mocks Sonic for choosing to save an injured and unconscious Tails instead of the compass before an avalanche starts upon them.
Tom saves Sonic and Tails from an avalanche by usinga ring to teleport them to the wedding. Rachel's fiancé Randall and his wedding guests reveal themselves as undercover agents of theGuardian Units of Nations (G.U.N.), having set the wedding up to capture Sonic and Tails; they also arrest Tom when he tries to stop them. The trio are saved by Maddie and a vengeful Rachel, who reconciles with Randall after he confirms that his feelings for her are real. Meanwhile, Knuckles and Robotnik find an underwater temple containing the Master Emerald.
Blaming himself for Tails' injuries, Sonic decides to face Knuckles and Robotnik alone and goes to the temple, where he fights Knuckles to keep him from taking the Master Emerald. Robotnik exploits the distraction and seizes the emerald, which collapses the temple, sinking it into the water. No longer needing Knuckles, Robotnik betrays him and leaves both him and Sonic behind. Teaming up after rescuing one another from the flood, Sonic and Knuckles manage to escape just as a recovered Tails rescues them in abiplane.
InGreen Hills, Robotnik uses his new abilities from the emerald to create a giant robot resembling himself. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles work together to fight the robot and its accompanying drones and reclaim the Master Emerald. The emerald shatters in Sonic's hands, splitting into the sevenChaos Emeralds. Tom and Maddie save Sonic, who inadvertently uses the Chaos Emeralds to transform intoSuper Sonic. He fights and destroys the robot, allowing Robotnik to collapse with it, before dispersing the Emeralds and reverting to normal. Knuckles fixes the Master Emerald from the remaining shards before making a pact with Sonic and Tails to protect it from evil together. They start an idyllic life with the Wachowskis.
While G.U.N. searches for Robotnik, Stone poses as a soldier to avoid capture. He overhears Commander Walters receiving information about the discovery of a secret research facility, which Walters immediately recognizes as the one housingProject Shadow.
Idris Elba asKnuckles the Echidna, an anthropomorphicechidna warrior withsuper strength who allies himself with Robotnik in search of the Master Emerald. Elba prepared for the role by exploring the character's backstory and identity.[14] DirectorJeff Fowler wanted the film's portrayal of Knuckles to be reminiscent of his early appearances, and said "his entire existence is about honor and about being a warrior", describing him as "a force of nature".[14]
Donna J. Fulks asLongclaw, an anthropomorphic owl, Sonic's late caregiver, and the former guardian of the Master Emerald
In April 2020,James Marsden expressed interest in asequel toSonic the Hedgehog (2020) featuring several characters from the video games, includingTails, who appeared in amid-credits scene in the first film.[18]Jeff Fowler expressed interest in developing a sequel that focused onSonic and Tails' friendship and developedDr. Robotnik.[19] Later that month,Ben Schwartz said that he felt it made sense forParamount Pictures not to have announced a sequel by that point due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, adding that he was interested in a sequel featuring Tails and a more game-accurate portrayal of Robotnik.[20]
In May, Paramount Pictures confirmed that a sequel toSonic the Hedgehog was in development, with Fowler set to return as director alongside writersPat Casey andJosh Miller.[21]Neal H. Mortiz, Toby Ascher and Toru Nakahara will produce the sequel, having previously co-produced the first film alongside Takeshi Ito, whileTim Miller, Hajime Satomi and Haruki Satomi will return from the first film as executive producers.[21]
In December, it was confirmed by storyboard artist Fill Marc that artistTyson Hesse, who redesigned Sonic for the first film, would be returning.[22] The film title was announced asSonic the Hedgehog 2 in February 2021.[23] In May, a synopsis of the story was released as Paramount submitted a copyright registration to the U.S. Copyright Office catalog.[11]
The film is inspired by the video gamesSonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992),Sonic the Hedgehog 3, andSonic & Knuckles (both 1994), but is not a direct adaptation of either. Fowler described the film as "a melting pot" of ideas from severalSonic games.[24]
On January 27, 2020,Jim Carrey said his character, the villain Dr. Robotnik, could be expanded in the sequel: "I wouldn't mind going to do another one because it was so much fun, first of all, and a real challenge to convince people that I have a triple-digit IQ... There is so much room, you know, Robotnik has not reached hisapotheosis."[25]
On March 6, Marsden confirmed that he had signed on for multiple sequels.[26] The rest of the returning cast, including Carrey, was confirmed throughout 2021.[27][28][15][10][29][30] In February 2021, it was reported thatJason Momoa was being considered for the role of Knuckles the Echidna.[31] On June 16, it was announced thatShemar Moore had joined the cast; it was later confirmed that he would play Randall, Rachel's fiancé.[16][32] On August 10, it was announced thatIdris Elba would play Knuckles the Echidna.[10] For the film's Japanese dub, theHololive Production-affiliatedVTuberInugami Korone, who also serves as the Japanese brand ambassador of theSonic series, voiced a character.[33]Shadow the Hedgehog made his live action debut in a non-speaking cameo in the mid-credits scene, which was meant to tease a larger role in future films.[34]
In December 2020, it was reported that theBC Film Commission had listed that the production of the film would occur from March 15 to May 10, 2021, under the working titleEmerald Hill, a reference to the opening zone in theSonic the Hedgehog 2 video game.[35] In January 2021, Tika Sumpter revealed that the film would shoot in bothVancouver andHawaii.[27]
Principal photography began in Vancouver on March 15, 2021, withBrandon Trost serving as cinematographer.[15] As a way to show his gratitude to the crew, Carrey held a raffle on May 7 in order to give away aChevrolet Blazer; the car was eventually given to agrip.[36] Filming in Vancouver concluded on May 12, 2021.[37] Filmingwrapped in Hawaii on June 25, 2021.[38]
Visual effects and animation forSonic the Hedgehog 2 was provided by Sega'sMarza Animation Planet andMoving Picture Company (MPC), after previously working on the first film.[39]John Whittington was announced as co-screenwriter on August 10, 2021.[10] Additionally,DNEG also provided the visual effects for the mushroom planet and the cockpit of the robot, giving it a total of 185 shots used in the film from the studio.[40] Additional visual effects services was provided by Animism Studios, Fish Flight Entertainment, Fatbelly VFX, Unit Motion Design, and Track VFX. Unlisted Studio produced the animation for the backstory of the Master Emerald.
On December 8, 2021,Tom Holkenborg, who also composedthe first film, was announced to be returning to compose the film's score.[41] The film was supported by a single titled "Stars in the Sky", the only original song recorded for the film, byKid Cudi.[42] The soundtrack album was released byParamount Music on April 8, 2022.[43]
A Sonic the Hedgehog mascot posing next to a fan at the premiere of the film
On March 1, 2022, Paramount announced it would be postponing the film's Russian release, originally scheduled for March 31, until further notice in response to theRussian invasion of Ukraine.[44][45] On March 14, when tickets went on sale for the United States, an early access screening dubbed a "Fan Event" was announced for April 6.[46]
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was first theatrically released byParamount Pictures in several international markets, including France, Philippines and the Netherlands on March 30, 2022[47][48] and the United Kingdom on April 1, 2022.[49] The film held its world premiere at theRegency Village Theatre inLos Angeles on April 5, 2022,[50] and was theatrically released in the United States on April 8, 2022.[51][52][53][54]
A poster of the film advertised on the side of aTransperth bus
Theteaser poster was revealed on December 8, 2021.[55] The next day, the first trailer was released atThe Game Awards 2021.[56] The trailer includes a reworked version ofMasato Nakamura's "Emerald Hill Zone" music from the originalSonic the Hedgehog 2 video game.[57] Fans reacted very positively, with Elba as Knuckles attracting particular praise. Reviewers noted the difference in reaction compared to the first film's initial trailer which was released on April 30, 2019.[58][59]
During the week beforeSuper Bowl LVI, Paramount released four TV spots showcasing new footage and the reveal of the Giant Eggman Robot.[60] A special TV spot aired duringSuper Bowl LVI on February 13, 2022.[61] The theatrical release poster excluded O'Shaughnessey's name, leading to fan outcry.[62] Updated posters, released shortly thereafter, included her name as well as Sumpter's on the upper billing block.[63][64] The second and final trailer was released on March 14, 2022.[65] Another poster was also revealed, resembling the North American box art for the originalSonic the Hedgehog 2 video game.[66]
Paramount spent less than $18 million ontelevision spots promoting the film in the U.S., which generated 717 million impressions.[67] On March 29, 2022,King partnered with Sega and Paramount to help create a special edition of the online gameCandy Crush Saga in ways to promote the film.[68] The Mill helped do the visuals for the Happy Meal advertisements.[69]
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was released for download and streaming onParamount+ on May 24, 2022. The same day,EPIX added the film to their library following Paramount's pay-one-window deal with the service.[70] It released onDVD,Blu-ray, andUltra HD Blu-ray on August 9, 2022. Like its predecessor, the digital and Blu-ray releases come with an exclusive short film,Sonic Drone Home, fully animated byMarza Animation Planet and written by Pat Casey and Josh Miller, while directed by David Nelson and produced by Neal H. Moritz, Toby Ascher, Toru Nakahara and Hitoshi Okuno. The short film features Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles facing off against one of Robotnik's drones in Green Hills' scrapyard. Schwartz reprises his role as Sonic, while Tails, Knuckles, and the drone named Unit are voiced byAlicyn Packard (replacing O'Shaughnessey),Fred Tatasciore (replacing Elba), and Aaron Landon respectively.[71]
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 grossed $190.9 million in the United States and Canada, and $214.5 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $405.4 million.[7][8]
In the US and Canada, it was released alongsideAmbulance and thewide expansion ofEverything Everywhere All at Once. Several days before release, it was projected to gross at least $55 million from 4,232 theatres in its opening weekend.[71] With its target audience aged between 16 and 25, its release coincided with the start ofspring break in 15% ofK–12 schools.[5] The film made $26.8 million on its first day, including $6.25 million from Thursday night previews, doubling that of the original movie.[67][71] The film went on to gross$72.1 million over its three-day opening weekend,[72] surpassing the original film's three-day opening ($58 million) andBruce Almighty ($68 million) to become Jim Carrey's highest three-day domestic opening and Paramount's biggest three-day opening since 2014.[73]Six million tickets were sold in the U.S. and Canada during its opening weekend. It broke the opening record for avideo game movie adaptation, which was previously held by the originalSonic the Hedgehog and was surpassed a year later byThe Super Mario Bros. Movie ($146.4 million).[74][75]
Among opening audiences, males made up 61%, those aged between 18 and 34 comprised 46% of ticket sales and those below 17 comprised 32%, and the ethnic breakdown was 38% were Hispanic/Latin American, 29% Caucasian, 20% African American, and 13% Asian or other.[67] The film also had the best pandemic-era opening for a children's film,[76] the all-time seventh best April opening, the second best opening ofearly 2022, and the fifth best openingsince 2020.[77] In its second weekend, the film made $29.3 million, finishing second behindFantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.[78]Sonic 2 returned to the top of the box office onEaster Monday with$4.5 million.[79] By its third weekend, the film surpassed the originalSonic the Hedgehog to become the highest-grossing video game film in North America.[80] The film remained in the box office top ten until dropping out in its twelfth weekend.[81]Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was theninth-highest-grossing film of 2022 in the U.S. and Canada.[82]
In international regions outside North America, the film opened in 31 markets and grossed $26.1 million in its first weekend, outpacing the original film in these markets.[83] In France, the film made $1.2 million on its first day of screening, reaching the top spot in the charts and surpassing the first film's opening day gross by 30%.[84] In the United Kingdom, it debuted at number one in its first weekend and later retook the top spot fromFantastic Beasts in its fourth weekend with£20.2 million in four weeks.[85] The film crossed the $300 million worldwide mark by its fifth weekend,[86] and the $400 million threshold by its thirteenth.[87]
Thereview aggregatorRotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 69% based on 182 reviews, with an average rating of 6/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "It isn't as much fun as the little blue guy's greatest games, but if you enjoyed the first film,Sonic the Hedgehog 2 serves as a generally acceptable sequel."[88]Metacritic assigned the film aweighted average score of 47 out of 100 based on 33 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[89] Audiences polled byCinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale (same as the first), while those atPostTrak gave it an 87% positive score, with 74% saying they would definitely recommend it.[67]
Amy Nicholson ofThe New York Times gave the film a positive review, saying, "Jim Carrey's reprised role as a villainous weirdo helps this fast-paced, family-friendly video-game-movie sequel maintain a refreshing silliness."[90] Nell Minow ofRogerebert.com gave the film a two out of four, writing, "Yes, we know we're appropriating details from better movies. It is over-plotted, with three different storylines mixing comedy and adventure."[91] Alex Stednan ofIGN gave the film a seven out of ten, saying, "Sonic the Hedgehog 2 brings all the humor and charm of its predecessor, while also being delightfully more loyal to its source material."[92] Carlos Aguilar ofThe Wrap also gave the film a positive review, writing, "The screenplay reflects actual effort, and Jim Carrey gets to be unfettered in his performance, leading a surprisingly satisfying follow-up."[93] Leslie Felperin ofThe Guardian gave the film a three out of four and wrote, "There's not much to spoil aboutSonic the Hedgehog 2 because there's not very much to say about it, other than it's mildly amusing and reasonably competently assembled."[94] BrianShea ofGame Informer gave the film an 8.5 out of 10, writing, "While Sonic the Hedgehog's unexpected positive reception could have put its sequel in a difficult spot since it comes in with higher expectations, the Jeff Fowler-directedSonic the Hedgehog 2 clears the higher bar, delivering a better movie in nearly every way."[95] In a "C+" review, Ross Bonamie ofCollider wrote, "Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is at its most clever when it's throwing in these clever nods that will appeal to fans who have waited to see this world come to life on the screen in this way with these characters."[96]
John Nugent ofEmpire gave the film a two out of five, writing, "Sonic's second outing is little more than a half-baked half-term distraction tool — though Jim Carrey's outrageously committed performance nearly saves the day."[97] Brian Lloyd ofEntertainment.ie gave the film a three out of five and said, "Idris Elba as Knuckles is the most galaxy-brain casting idea ever conceived of."[98] Bob Hoose ofPlugged In gave the film a positive review, saying, "In short, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 doesn't necessarily grab the gold ring right out the first loop-de-loop, but it won't disappoint the kids or their "fanboy" parents by the time you hit the flag-waving goal."[99] Thomas Floyd ofThe Washington Post gave the film a two out of four and wrote, "InSonic the Hedgehog 2, there is no problem that its titular speed demon can't outrun. With that in mind, it's especially perplexing that this video game-inspired sequel should be, of all things, a bit sluggish."[100] In a "C−" review, Siddhant Adlakha ofIndieWire wrote, "It's visual soup where nothing pops or stands out. Almost nothing anyone does or says feels rooted in recognizable character traits, and despite Marsden's most sincere efforts, he finds himself once again unable to meet Sonic's eye-line (a production kerfuffle that would be funny, were it not also another reminder of VFX crunch). Then again, who can blame Marsden's character for not wanting to gaze into a soulless blue abyss?"[101]
Fan reactions to the evolving relationship between Agent Stone and Doctor Robotnik in the film were favorable, prompting the creation ofshipping andfan fiction, sometimes under the name Stobotnik,[102] that was acknowledged by Majdoub and Carrey.[103][104][105]
In February 2022, Sega of America and Paramount Pictures confirmed thatSonic the Hedgehog 3 and aKnuckles spin-off miniseries were in development. Elba reprises his role as Knuckles for the series, which was released on the streaming serviceParamount+ on April 26, 2024, after being delayed from 2023 due the 2023 Actors and Writers Strike.[113]Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was released theatrically on December 20, 2024. Schwartz reprises his role as Sonic, while Casey, Miller and Whittington return to write the script.[114]
In April 2022, after Carrey announced that he was considering retirement from acting,[115] producers Moritz and Ascher confirmed that his role as Dr. Robotnik would not be recast in any sequels if he followed through with his retirement plans, though they remained hopeful that they could develop scripts good enough for him to continue the role.[116] In February 2024, it was confirmed that Carrey would be reprising his role.[117] Filming began in July 2023 in Farnham, Surrey, England, albeit with no actors due to the2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.[118]
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