If you’re anyone who has an internet connection, you’re more than likely heard about just how large a tide of fan backlash there was towards the new Sonic The Hedgehog movie. More specifically, that reaction seemed to predominantly stem from the design of Sonic himself, as people far and wide had a field day with what the blue speedster initially looked like. Thankfully, we got a more recent glimpse at the promised redesign, and not only is the attitude surrounding Sonic’s redesign much more of a crowd-pleaser, it has us as fired up as fans.
This isn’t just a random statement that we’re pulling out of our sneakers either, as there’s some crucial data that backs up the claim that fans seem to be really excited about how this film seems to have changed for the better. And it’s a metric that comes directly from the marketing of the film itself, something that bodes well for the film’s box office potential next February.
Let’s take a look at just how jazzed Sonic The Hedgehog seems to have its fans, and why that’s something we're more than glad to get in on.
How Fired Up Are Sonic Fans About The New Redesign
The reaction from fans to the Sonic The Hedgehog redesign comes down to one specific metric: the Like/Dislike ratio to the new trailer on YouTube. At the time of this writing, that video is currently sitting at 888,000 Likes and only 15,000 Dislikes. That response, according to official data collected by Paramount Pictures, is higher than any other film this year with a trailer that scored over 500k views on YouTube.
On top of that piece of information, the number of views on the new Sonic The Hedgehog trailer are also an impressive feat, when compared to other big films being released by the studio. In 24 hours, the film’s trailer was viewed more times globally than trailers for Top Gun: Maverick, Terminator: Dark Fate and Bumblebee. So you can see how the studio is bullish about its prospects, but just how bad was the reaction to that original Sonic trailer in the first place?
Just How Bad Was The Reaction To The Original Sonic The Hedgehog Design
Just by looking at the social media reactions to Sonic The Hedgehog’s original character design, back when the film was still scheduled to open in theaters a couple of weeks ago, the public’s disapproval of the character’s look was a palpable outcry. That opinion is drawn all the more sharply when fans take a look at the Likes/Dislikes that trailer earned on YouTube.
While the original version posted by Paramount Pictures has been removed when Sonic The Hedgehog was delayed, there is a widely viewed version on MovieClips Trailers’ YouTube Channel. On that video, you can see 60,000 Likes to 40,000 Dislikes logged on the first trailer to Sonic The Hedgehog, which is still a pretty resounding percentage of disapproval for the original concept behind the character, voiced by Ben Schwartz. It really does look like the character’s redesign is behind the tide turning, and considering the big differences, we totally agree that it’s worth the praise.
Why We Have To Agree With Sonic The Hedgehog Fans
It’s easy to see why fans are rallying behind the Sonic The Hedgehog redesign, as instead of the vaguely creepy version we saw in the trailer dropped this past April, we now have a version of Sonic that looks so much closer to the original game character from the 16-bit console era. With the lightened fur, the more appropriate proportions in terms of how Sonic’s body looks, and, of course, those trademark Sonic eyes, watching our hero go from the Green Hill Zone to the town of Green Hills looks much more comfortable with the current condition of this creature.
Not to mention that the entire new trailer felt more like what a Sonic The Hedgehog movie should look like. So on top of a fantastic redesign of Sonic himself, we saw more of the zany old-school cartoon hijnks one would feel at home with when watching this character go to work. Add on some strong hero work from James Marsden, and even more over-the-top physical comedy from Jim Carrey, and you have a nostalgia-fueled blockbuster that could have really cleaned up back in the day. Though given the right conditions, it still could in our modern era.
Could This New Reaction Spell Success For Sonic The Hedgehog?
It’s hard to pin an exact answer to whether or not a trailer spells success or doom for a movie at the box office. And as we saw above, YouTube statistics don’t always mean the movie’s going to hit (for example, Terminator: Dark Fate). That said, responding to Sonic The Hedgehog’s fans by changing the look of the character isn’t exactly a sign that Paramount is being pushed around by the internet. Rather, it feels like a savvy way to help the film do its best at the box office.
The original video game is a nostalgic enough property that the right movie adaptation could give it a long life, as children and parents alike can enjoy the adorable hedgehog and his high speed adventures. Not to mention, pushing the film back to next February does allow it to land at a time when children’s counter-programming options are rather light.
Providing more time to perfect the look of Sonic The Hedgehog’s character seems to have paid off, and if this trailer and the public reaction to it are any indication, it looks like Sonic just might be blasting cash into the bank vault of his studio home. Which means we could get to see Tails, Knuckles and a whole bunch of familiar faces from this world come to life for the sequel that will, undoubtedly, get the designs right the first time.
Sonic The Hedgehog blasts into theaters on February 14, 2020. If you’re interested in seeing what movies will look to compete with this would-be franchise starter, head over to the 2020 release schedule, and start sizing up the opposition today!
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