Netflix's upcoming series Sonic Prime could add to the Sonic the Hedgehog movies, despite the two being unconnected. With Sonic the Hedgehog 2 having debuted this spring, Sonic Prime is set to arrive on Netflix later this year, and will run for 24 episodes. While a full trailer hasn't been released yet, a glimpse at Sonic Prime can be seen in a recent Netflix After School video.
Sonic Prime will reportedly see its super-speeding hedgehog go on an adventure involving the Shatterverse - seemingly Sonic's multiverse equivalent. The new series also arrives on the heels of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 proving a box office success, and becoming the highest-grossing video game movie to date. While the two Sonic properties share no direct connection, Sonic Prime's use of the Shatterverse could give more general viewers a deeper exploration of Sonic lore. With less inherently well-known characters slowly being set up to appear in Sonic films, Sonic Prime could also give the already successful Sonic movies a boost with its multiverse story.
The concept of the multiverse has become a new and growing trend, driven by its use in DC and Marvel movies and television shows. This makes perfect sense, given the wealth of stories and new worlds using a multiverse can provide a franchise. Sonic Prime could bring the Sonic franchise in on that trend with Sonic's story of the Shatterverse, expanding it further and providing audiences something to focus on between the films themselves.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is very likely to happen, but Jim Carrey's potential retirement could affect reception of the film, and the fact it'll still be some time before it actually arrives could further complicate matters. With Sonic more popular in the public consciousness than ever after the success of his first two movies, Sonic Prime can serve as an interim story without actually being a part of the big-screen franchise. In taking Sonic through the Shatterverse, Sonic Prime can familiarize viewers with more of Sonic's mythos that the movies were unable to include, which could be especially beneficial to younger viewers.
In turn, this could also put both Sonic Prime and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 in a different context for viewers. Rather than being seen as competing Sonic properties on streaming and in theaters, the two can be viewed as different stories with the same character that compliment each other with the different angles they take. With that being the very point of the multiverse within the context of an IP, Sonic Prime can add to the story of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 without being technically connected to it.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 even planted a tiny seed for multiverse itself with Dr. Robotnik, who explains his ultimate goal is to eventually conquer the multiverse in the film's third act. Sonic Prime could further build on that idea with the Shatterverse, and giving a leg up to the Sonic movies could be a nice off-shoot of that. After the Sonic the Hedgehog movies have struck such box office gold, Netflix's Sonic Prime might be able to add to that with how it can show more of Sonic's backstory and characters. Even as a separate story altogether, Sonic Prime getting more casual and younger viewers up to speed on all things Sonic could make the Sonic the Hedgehog movies and related properties like the Knuckles spin-off series even more fun for audiences.