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Love ’em or hate ’em, if it weren’t for the Sonic the Hedgehog films, the blue blur might have been canned entirely, so says series boss Takashi Iizuka
Sonic the Hedgehog series boss Takashi Iizuka says the franchise was once at serious risk of cancellation because of poor performance and a declining reputation. He credits the success of the first Sonic film, released in 2020, with changing the series’ fortunes and helping ensure that the games continued.
Iizuka said he had to argue within Sega to preserve the franchise during its worst period, though he did not specify exactly when this occurred. He also said Sonic would receive new media almost every year, including anime, games and films; a fourth film, featuring Amy, is due next year, while future games may place greater emphasis on storytelling.
In short
- Sonic was once at risk of cancellation.
- The 2020 film revived the franchise.
- New Sonic media is planned almost annually.
Explained simply
Sonic the Hedgehog is a video-game character created by Sega, a Japanese entertainment company. The series follows Sonic, a fast blue hedgehog, and his friends as they face the schemes of the villain Dr Eggman.
The games have been joined by television shows, comics and films. The first live-action Sonic film, released in 2020, brought the character to a wider audience and was followed by further films.
Sega’s decisions about whether to continue the games affect the future of a franchise built across several kinds of entertainment. Takashi Iizuka, who leads the Sonic game series, says the films’ success helped persuade the company to keep making Sonic games.