Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie (2020)

Sonic the Hedgehog is a 2020 action-adventure comedy film based on the video game franchise published by Sega. The film is directed by Jeff Fowler (in his feature directorial debut) from a screenplay by Pat Casey and Josh Miller. It stars Ben Schwartz as the voice of Sonic the Hedgehog and Jim Carrey as Doctor Robotnik, as well as James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, Adam Pally, and Neal McDonough. In the film, Sonic teams up with local town sheriff Tom Wachowski to find and reclaim his lost rings and escape Dr. Robotnik.

Development of a Sonic the Hedgehog film began in the 1990s but never progressed beyond the scripting stage. In 2013, Sony Pictures acquired the film rights to the franchise, and by 2014, had a movie adaptation in development, in collaboration with Sega Sammy's Japan-based studio Marza Animation Planet. Fowler was hired to direct in 2016. After Sony put the project in turnaround, Paramount Pictures acquired it in 2017, and the majority of the cast had signed on by August 2018. Filming took place between September and October 2018 in Ladysmith and Parksville, both on Vancouver Island, and in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was initially scheduled to be released in the United States on November 8, 2019, but after an overwhelmingly negative reaction to the first trailer, Paramount delayed the film to redesign Sonic, whose original design was highly criticized. The redesign was shown in a new trailer, with Sonic's new appearance receiving praise.

Sonic the Hedgehog premiered at the Paramount Theatre on January 25, 2020, and was theatrically released in the United States on February 14, 2020. The film received praise from critics for the cast's performances (particularly Carrey's), Sonic's design, and faithfulness to the source material, but criticism for its plot and perceived lack of originality. The film has grossed $130 million worldwide, and set the record for the biggest opening weekend by a video game-based film in the United States and Canada.

## Plot

Sonic is an extraterrestrial blue hedgehog who can run at supersonic speeds. His guardian, Longclaw the Owl, encourages Sonic to hide his powers, but Sonic does not listen and the two are attacked by a tribe of echidnas. Longclaw gives Sonic a bag of rings that can create portals to other planets, using one to send him to Earth while she is subdued by the echidnas. Ten years later, Sonic enjoys a secret life near the town of Green Hills, Montana, but longs to make friends. He idolizes the local sheriff, Tom Wachowski, and his veterinarian wife, Maddie, unaware the pair are planning to relocate to San Francisco soon, as Tom has been hired by the San Francisco Police Department. One night, Sonic becomes upset over his loneliness when playing baseball by himself, and triggers an electromagnetic pulse with his supersonic speed, knocking out power across the Pacific Northwest.

Roboticist and scientific genius Doctor Robotnik is enlisted by the United States Department of Defense to uncover the source of the outage. Robotnik discovers and tracks Sonic, who hides in the Wachowskis' shed. Tom discovers Sonic and shoots him with a tranquilizer, causing him to send his bag of rings through a portal to San Francisco. Tom reluctantly agrees to help Sonic before Robotnik arrives at the Wachowskis' house and the two flee. As the pair attempt to evade Robotnik, who labels Tom a domestic terrorist, they slowly bond, whereupon Tom learns about Sonic's desire for a friend.

Robotnik comes across one of Sonic's quills, discovering the power in it has the potential to fuel his robots, and becomes obsessed with capturing Sonic. As he tracks them down, Tom and Sonic get into an argument over Tom's plans to leave Green Hills, which Sonic disapproves of. Shortly after defeating a robot sent by Robotnik, an explosion injures Sonic. Arriving at San Francisco, Tom brings him to Maddie, who revives him. While Tom explains about their situation to Maddie, Sonic receives a new pair of sneakers from Maddie's niece, before the group head to the Transamerica Pyramid, where Sonic's bag of rings landed. Sonic prepares to create a new portal, but Robotnik attacks them, forcing him to send Tom and Maddie back to Green Hills.

Robotnik, using Sonic's quill, achieves supersonic speed and the two fight across the world. Their chase eventually returns to Green Hills, where Robotnik incapacitates Sonic. However, Tom intervenes, allowing Sonic to regain his strength, reclaim his lost energy, and defeat Robotnik, sending him to a planet made of mushrooms. Following the incident, Tom and Maddie decide to stay in Green Hills and let Sonic live with them. The US government erases all evidence of the events, including records of Robotnik's existence. However, Robotnik, still in possession of Sonic's quill, begins plotting his revenge.

In a mid-credits scene, Tails, a fox from Sonic's world, emerges from a ring portal in search of Sonic.

## Characters

* Sonic

Voice by Ben Schwartz (English) Jun'ichi Kanemaru (Japanese)

* Young Sonic

Voice by Benjamin L. Valic (English) Kotono Mitsuishi (Japanese)

* Tails

Voice by Colleen Villard (English) Akiko Yajima (Japanese)