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Tag: Sonic

  • Production Speeds Up! ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 4’ Officially Begins Filming

    The fastest franchise in Hollywood isn’t slowing down. Following the massive global success of the third installment, Paramount Pictures has officially moved into the next phase of the Blue Blur’s cinematic journey. Director Jeff Fowler took to Twitter today to confirm that production on Sonic the Hedgehog 4 has officially begun.

    Fowler’s post featured a “Ready 4 Action” teaser image from the set, showing him holding a high-fidelity physical prop of Amy Rose’s Piko Piko Hammer against a backdrop of massive blue screens.

    The Pink Hedgehog is Here: Kristen Bell Joins the Cast

    The production start comes just weeks after the industry-shaking announcement that Kristen Bell (The Good Place, Frozen) has officially signed on to voice Amy Rose, who first appeared in a mid-credit scene in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

    The casting was first teased on IG by Ben Schwartz, where he posted a photo of the two actors holding their respective character figurines. Bell’s inclusion marks a major win for the franchise, bringing a voice-acting powerhouse to one of the most beloved characters in the Sonic lore.

    The Rumor Mill: Metal Sonic, Time Travel, and “Sonic CD”

    While Paramount is keeping the script under lock and key, the start of production has reignited a frenzy of rumors. Here’s a recap of what fans are expecting from the fourth installment in the franchise.

    Many fans believe the fourth film will take heavy inspiration from the classic game Sonic CD, a theory bolstered by the fact that both Amy Rose and Metal Sonic debuted in that title. Rumors from reliable insiders suggest the plot revolves around a “Bad Future” scenario, that finds Sonic traveling through time to stop a world ruled by Dr. Robotnik’s automated army.

    While Amy is the focus now, fans are already hunting for clues about Silver the Hedgehog. Rumors suggest he may not appear in the main film but is a prime candidate for the inevitable post-credits stinger for the film, which is set to release March 19, 2027.

  • First Details and Cast as Knuckles’ ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ Spinoff Starts Filming

    First Details and Cast as Knuckles’ ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ Spinoff Starts Filming

    It’s been a hot minute since Paramount announces its plans to expand its video game adaptation of Sonic the Hedgehog with its first spinoff series. Besides the early confirmation of a threequel, the newly introduced Knuckles, voiced by Idris Elba, will get his own Paramount+ original.

    After a long pause, we suddenly have more details on not just the story but also its cast and even the confirmation that it started filming. The official Sonic the Hedgehog account has shared the news that Sonic the Hedgehog director will tackle the pilot episode and includes a familiar hat for long-time fans.

    The story will focus on Knuckles, who “agrees to train Wade as his protégé and teach him the ways of the Echidna warrior.” Sadly, we don’t have any further details but it wouldn’t be too surprising if they use the series to further explore that part of the franchise’s mythology.

    Adam Pally will once again reprise his role of Wade Whipple with Elba also set to return. They will be joined by Edi Patterson, Julian Barratt, Scott Mescudi, and Ellie Taylor. John Whittington wrote the screenplay of the pilot and is also the head writer on the series. Brian Schacter and James Madejski also wrote episodes of the series.

    Source: Variety, Twitter

  • New Japanese ‘Sonic Frontiers’ Trailer Hints at November Release

    New Japanese ‘Sonic Frontiers’ Trailer Hints at November Release

    Many have been wondering when we can expect the release of Sonic Frontiers. After a bit of a backlash of the game looking unfinished early on in its previews, many wondered if we might see it get delayed. Well, a new trailer ahead of Gamescom may have accidentally leaked that the game is eyeing a November 8th release.

    As shared by Twitter user @Nibellion, the Japanese trailer included the release date in November but was swiftly taken down later. So, it does add a bit of weight that this may have accidentally gone online earlier than intended especially with Gamescom’s opening night promising quite a few new trailers and reveals.

    https://twitter.com/nibellion/status/1562010814093180929?s=21&t=J2Q6gIQGMi1_EaiGMU6JcQ

    We’ll see what else might be heading our way with this game, especially if they made some tweaks to make it stand out more. While the open-world concept works well with Sonic the Hedgehog, it does seem oddly fixed on how you get around and especially with the combat showcased. Here’s hoping that a new trailer could build up some anticipation once it officially gets a release date.

    Source: Twitter

  • RUMOR: Title for 2022’s New ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ Game Leaks Online

    RUMOR: Title for 2022’s New ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ Game Leaks Online

    A few hours ago, Team Sonic revealed the first new entry in the franchise since 2017’s Sonic Forces. The pandemic didn’t help matters, as it delayed the release and announcement by quite a bit but it luckily was able to kick off the 30th anniversary of Sonic the Hedgehog. They didn’t offer any details on what the title will be called or what type of game it might be. The teaser simply showed our favorite hedgehog running freely through the forest before leaving a weird symbol behind. Well, one gaming modder took their time to analyze the 4K version of the new game’s teaser that may have revealed the game’s title.

    Now, the fact that it might be called Sonic Rangers is even more interesting if you consider that some time ago there was a leak in January that mentioned a game with the same title. The franchise is not a stranger to 4chan leaks but so far only the gaming retailer leak for Sonic Colors Ultimate was confirmed. Of course, we still have to take this with a grain of salt as they could easily change the title at any point during development. There is also the question of this was just a test title that was added into the teaser’s assets. Sega did tease more reveals throughout the rest of the year. So, hopefully, we’ll get a better picture of what we can expect from the 2022 entry into the franchise and if we might be entering a completely new world of Sonic action.

     

    Source: Twitter, YouTube

  • ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s Set Photos Tease a ‘Sonic Adventures 2’-Inspired Storyline

    ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s Set Photos Tease a ‘Sonic Adventures 2’-Inspired Storyline

    When fans first got their look at Sonic the Hedgehog’s live-action film, the reactions were less than thrilled, with many fans begging for it to be redone. They wanted them to embrace the cartoonish aspects of the original design from the hit games. The studio quickly gave in and delayed the film to completely revamp Sonics’ design. This move was accepted with open arms by fans.

    Now, the sequel is already underway with more iconic Sega characters joining. We recently got our first look at Knuckles alongside Sonic and Tails stand-ins through set photos. They offered our best look yet at the upcoming sequel. Luckily, more set photos have made their way online, giving us yet another look at the film and characters previously seen in Sonic Adventures 2.

    https://twitter.com/Kitsuoi1/status/1384369289986068480?s=20

    Lined across the streets of the set are some pretty insane military vehicles that just happened to have the “G” logo on them. For those who aren’t familiar with it, this logo definitely represents the Guardian Units of Nations Aka G.U.N. They first appeared in Sonic Adventures 2. They are a worldwide military and law enforcement organization that’s run by a figure only known as the Commander. He is tasked with defending Earth from malicious threats like Dr. Robotnik. It can be assumed that G.U.N was formed following the events of the first film, where Sonic and Robotnik’s battled throughout every corner of the planet at super speed.

    Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is currently set to release on April 8th, 2022 with director Jeff Fowler returning. James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, and of course, Ben Schwartz, whose voice work on the previous film was widely praised by fans and critics alike, are returning in their respective roles. It’s currently unknown who will serve as the voice actor for Knuckles and if Colleen O’Shaughnessey will return to voice Tails following his brief appearance at the tail end of the first film. There is the rumor that Jason Momoa was offered the role of Knuckles. It’ll be interesting to see if the film will include elements from Sonic Adventure 2.

    Source: Twitter (Kitsuoi), Twitter (Tail’s Channel)

  • Other Sega Franchises That Deserve a Cinematic Adaptation

    Other Sega Franchises That Deserve a Cinematic Adaptation

    Sega has started realizing the potential of adapting their franchises. Sonic the Hedgehog pleasantly surprised cinema-goers before the lockdown happened. Now, they even announced they plan on a live-action adaptation of the Yakuza franchise. It looks like they are going to start going through their library of games to find more potential film franchises. My mind then thought about what Sega games I would like to see adapted in the future. There are some franchises that haven’t really returned since the Sega Dreamcast and Nintendo Gamecube era. Perhaps they have a chance to return in an entirely new format.

    Skies of Arcadia

    Skies of Arcadia: Legends is one of my favorite RPG games. It takes place in a world filled with pirates and adventurers. Unlike classic pirate stories, there are no oceans in Arcadia. Somehow the gravity of this world keeps various islands floating in the sky. So, the fittingly titled sky pirates travel from island to island. The game follows a young member of the Blue Rogues named Vyse. He ends up getting trapped in a story filled with pirate wars, a secret governmental plot, and exploring the history of mythological beasts. It’s a fantastic world that would be a waste not to continue exploring.

    It is made for a film adaptation. The character designs are mostly realistic. It’s could work as a unique take on the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Yes, it would be quite effects-heavy with flying ships but it would be a unique visual to capture the audience’s attention. They also aren’t restricted to focusing on Vyse’s story. It could be a continuation of a new generation of pirates that explore the unknown. I’m a big fan of mythology which this game is rich in. Would love to see a flying pirate battle with a Gigas towering over them. It could also work as a great television series with the right budget. Who doesn’t want to see ships fly alongside whales in the sky?

    Jet Grind Radio

    Who doesn’t love a game with style? Jet Grind Radio, also known as Jet Set Radio, is a cult classic. The story takes place in Tokyo-to where gangs of youths are roaming the streets. It’s a story filled with Turf Wars between graffiti-tagging gans. The game follows Beat’s GGs, which is short for Graffiti Gang. All of this is narrated through the pirate radio station Jet Set Radio. It then becomes a battle between teenagers facing unlikely odds, as the company Rokkaku gets involved. At some point, it even turns into a variation of Faust with Rokkaku’s CEO trying to make a deal with the devil.

    The premise alone has quite a promise. It’s an important story to tell especially right now. While a live-action adaptation could be fun, I do believe that this should stick to its cartoon-inspired look. It would work much better as an animated film or series. Plus, it could give them more creative freedom when implementing the wide variety of tracks that range from J-pop, hip hop to acid jazz. Hopefully, they could even get original composer Hideki Naganuma back to continue his work.

    Valkyrie Chronicles

    I won’t lie, this isn’t an easy franchise to get into. The concept is actually really interesting. It’s a turn-based game where you control various units in an ongoing war. You only have a limited amount of time to move each character around. The story is quite compelling and doesn’t shy away from the sacrifices of war. The only drawback is the gameplay. It can drag out as you move every single unit manually. It still is an interesting game to tackle for fans of turn-based games. Still, there is a lot here that would lend itself to being adapted in live-action.

    At its core, this is a story about war. The weapons are strongly inspired by steampunk with some fantasy elements. It lends itself to a Game of Thrones-style story that spans an ongoing conflict throughout Europa. We follow a group of a small brigade that is trying to make their way towards the capital. This militia uncovers the true plans of the East Europan Imperial Alliance and tries to stop it before more lives are lost in this neverending conflict.

    Many More Options

    Of course, Sega has so many more franchises they could adapt. Golden Axe as a Conan-inspired epic. They could embrace science-fiction fantasy with Phantasy Star. Hell, they could even make a cartoon based on NiGHTS. The three I mentioned above are franchises that I hold dear. I still have hopes that Skies of Arcadia or Jet Set Radio will finally make a return in some form. It will be interesting to see what other franchises they may already have planned to adapt to the silver screen. We will see if Sega will continue to expand, or if they will first wait to see how Yakuza and the Sonic the Hedgehog film perform.

    Source: Digital Spy