Jeff Fowler, the director of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, recently talked about the backlash over Sonic’s original look five years after the first trailer came out. When the trailer for the first movie was released, fans hated Sonic’s design.
They called him “Ugly Sonic” because of his small eyes, human-like teeth, and bare hands without gloves. Thankfully, Paramount listened to the feedback, redesigned Sonic, and delayed the movie’s release from November 2019 to February 2020. This redesign may have played a big role in the franchise’s success, with fans already calling Sonic the Hedgehog 3 the best movie in the series.
In an interview with Deadline, Jeff Fowler shared how Sonic’s first design in the Sonic the Hedgehog movie and the later redesign showed how much the team cared about fans’ opinions. He said it’s now a part of the series’ history and one of the many challenges they’ve overcome. Fowler also mentioned other tough times, like filming the second movie during the pandemic and working on the third movie during Hollywood’s writer and actor strikes. Here’s what Fowler had to say:
Advertisement Every movie comes with its own challenges, and we definitely had some big ones, like the redesign. But now, that’s just part of our story. I actually see it as a good thing. It helped us build an amazing connection with our fans. They shared their opinions, we listened, and we made changes. Now, it’s a key part of our strong bond with them.
It’s incredible to think we’re already on the third movie and even have a TV series. We made Sonic 2 during the pandemic and worked on Sonic 3 while dealing with a writer strike and an actor strike. No matter what, we’ve always found a way to keep going.
The first Sonic the Hedgehog movie became a hit because it appealed to people of all ages, and Jim Carrey’s performance as Dr. Robotnik made it even better. Redesigning Sonic also played a big role in making the movie more likable. If the first movie hadn’t made money in theaters, there wouldn’t be two sequels or the Knuckles spinoff series on Paramount+. Plus, we wouldn’t have stars like Idris Elba as Knuckles or Keanu Reeves as Shadow in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, if that movie had even been made.
Even though people didn’t like “Ugly Sonic” at first, the design has since turned into a funny joke. Paramount even gave away a Christmas sweater with the original design during their 12 Hours of Sonic 3 Giveaway earlier this month. The character also appeared in the 2022 movie Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers as an FBI contact, voiced by Tim Robison, after being cut from the Sonic movie. This playful take on the old design shows how much the series has grown and how the new, game-like redesign won over fans and earned their support.
Related: Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Sets New Record for the Trilogy
If the creators hadn’t listened to fans about Sonic’s bad original design, we probably wouldn’t even have Sonic the Hedgehog 3 today. Changing Sonic’s look to match the games more closely was just one of the smart choices that helped the series grow. Fans seem excited about the newest movie, and it’s clear that the redesign still plays a big role in the series’ success. If Jeff Fowler and his team keep improving with each film, Sonic could stick around for a long time.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will include two post-credits scenes that hint at the future of the series. These scenes suggest the movie universe will keep expanding, likely introducing more characters from the games. Since Jim Carrey has spoken positively about returning for Sonic the Hedgehog 4, it seems Sonic and his friends are here to stay. Without the redesign, it’s hard to imagine the series getting this far or having such exciting plans for the future.
Thankfully, the redesign also means the team won’t repeat the mistakes of the past. Fowler has called the original design a mistake, and this focus on getting it right bodes well for future characters. It’s especially important for the post-credits scenes in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which will set up even more thrilling adventures for fans to enjoy.