Sonic The Hedgehog 2 has had the biggest box office weekend ever for a movie adapted from a video game. In the past, video game adaptations were a tall order for the film industry. Due to so many people having experienced the stories through playing the games, the expectations set for the movie always end up being extremely high. Whether it be 1993’s Super Mario Bros, 2001’s Tomb Raider, or even 2016’s Warcraft, a video game film can receive poor reviews due to their lack of substance or attempts to translate something that just doesn’t work on screen. However, in recent years, Hollywood has had a few major successes with video game adaptations with films such as Detective Pikachu, Uncharted, and Sonic the Hedgehog ushering in a new era of video game adaptations.
2020’s Sonic the Hedgehog is at the forefront of successful video game adaptations. When first announced, Sonic was met with heavy skepticism due to the intriguing design choices the creators had made for the titular hedgehog. After listening to these concerns, though, Paramount Pictures decided to delay the film to fix the way Sonic looked. As a result, many who had originally said they wouldn't see the film changed their minds, leading Sonic to earn the highest opening weekend box office for any video game movie in history. Word of its fun family story mixed with some incredible acting from Ben Schwartz as Sonic and Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik spread, resulting in the film becoming North America’s highest grossing video game movie ever.
According to Variety, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has broken its predecessors record for the best box office debut for a video game adaptation. The film has taken the number one spot over Morbius and Ambulance, grossing over $71 million dollars in its opening weekend. The first Sonic movie, for comparison, opened with $58 million. For a box office that's slowly been returning to pre-pandemic numbers, Sonic 2's weekend box office is outstanding and it could lead to an incredible run in theaters if the reviews and audience scores for Sonic 2 remain positive.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is also likely to surpass the first film's other record as North America’s highest grossing video game film ever. With spring break on the horizon for many schools across the country, families everywhere are likely to see the film in the coming weeks. Additionally, with Jim Carrey saying he is likely retiring soon, some moviegoers may be interested in seeing the star's possible final role on the big screen. The film seems to have come out at just the right time to make all sorts of box office and movie history.
Paramount has already confirmed that there will be a third installment in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, which is clearly a smart move after the success of both of the first two films. Additionally, Paramount has also announced there will be a Knuckles spin-off show released with Idris Elba signed on to continue voicing the character. With plenty of unique characters and stories to explore, it is no surprise that Paramount is doubling down on the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise by greenlighting more sequels and shows that will likely echo the success of the franchise thus far. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is in theaters now and is quickly moving towards becoming one of the most successful video game movie performances of all time.
Source: Variety