The first trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog dropped earlier this week like a bomb. Video game fans had their eyes scarred by the shrapnel of Sonic's new human-like teeth and muscular calves and they were not quiet about it. Social media exploded in a giant wave of disappointment because of the way their beloved Sonic looks in the upcoming movie. Now, director Jeff Fowler has revealed there are going to be some big design changes and that Sega and Paramount are standing behind the changes.
It appears whining on the internet has actually made a difference for Sonic the Hedgehog. When the blue hedgehog's legs were first teased, well ahead of the first trailer, producer Tim Miller revealed it was always the plan to make a more realistic version of the character for the big screen with real fur and a gym rat's legs. Regardless of the initial plan, it has been changed. Director Jeff Fowler had this to say.
"Thank you for the support. And the criticism. The message is loud and clear... you aren't happy with the design & you want changes. It's going to happen. Everyone at Paramount & Sega are fully committed to making this character the BEST he can be..."
Hopefully, the Sonic the Hedgehog hate will die down after some design changes are made, though that seems highly unlikely. This is going to take a while to complete and it will more than likely cost the studio a lot of extra money to go back and redesign the character to look more like he does in cartoons and on video game boxes. It doesn't look like there is going to be a release date change, so these designs are going to have to be complete as soon as possible.
The main problems with the current Sonic the Hedgehog have been the eyes, teeth, fur, height, and calves, which is pretty much the poor little guy's entire body. Since the backlash has been so intense, the studio is probably going to go with more of a traditional look, like what the crew of Detective Pikachu did with their iconic Pokémon characters. They are all easily recognizable and look like the they do in the cartoons and video games. It has been rumored there is a video game adaptation of the movie on the way, which means that will be given an overhaul too.
Related: Sonic the Hedgehog Fully Revealed in Live-Action Movie
Making Sonic the Hedgehog into a movie has been in the cards for a long time and fans have been waiting years to see a big screen adaptation. It's a shame the studio wasn't able to deliver something fans were happy with the first time around. However, this could be a slippery slope for studios in the future and it will certainly put more scrutiny on the upcoming new design, which will be placed under the microscope upon its arrival. Hopefully everything ends up working out in the end. You can read the Sonic the Hedgehog redesign announcement below, thanks to Jeff Fowler's Twitter account.
Thank you for the support. And the criticism. The message is loud and clear... you aren't happy with the design & you want changes. It's going to happen. Everyone at Paramount & Sega are fully committed to making this character the BEST he can be... #sonicmovie#gottafixfast
