The initial character design for the first "Sonic the Hedgehog" film was met with overwhelming
backlash in 2019, and it seemed like the video game-turned-film was doomed.
However, after being delayed by Paramount so the team could redesign the titular blue
hedgehog, the film went on to have a record-setting opening weekend.
Now, with two sequels and a spin-off series on the horizon, the adaptation has successfully
turned things around.
The reception for the new, final trailer for "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" is a whole lot warmer
than that original, much-maligned trailer, with many fans eager to see what's next for
the franchise.
Jim Carrey, who seldom stars in sequels, will even be returning as the evil mad scientist
Doctor Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik.
The upcoming adventure film will follow Sonic, voiced by Ben Schwartz, as he faces off against
a vengeful Robotnik.
This time, though, each has a partner in crime: Tails, voiced by Colleen O'Shaughnessey, and
Knuckles, voiced by Idris Elba.
If Sonic and Tails don't beat Robotnik and Knuckles to the Master Emerald, it could mean
the end of the world.
With the stakes higher than ever, the final trailer for "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" offers
another glimpse at the explosive search for this all-powerful emerald.
Here's what you might've missed in the action-packed new trailer.
"Sonic the Hedgehog" has always had a rocking soundtrack.
In the newest trailer for "Sonic 2," one of the first scenes shows James Marsden's Thomas
Wachowski attending a wedding in Hawaii, but right in the middle of the ceremony his phone
rings.
"So help me Thomas!"
"Sorry, sorry."
Astute fans may have picked up on this auditory cue, but for the uninitiated, the ringtone
is actually the music from the first level of the original "Sonic" video game.
This little tune comes to us from the Green Hill Zone, which was also referenced in the
first film as the town Sonic hides in: Green Hills, Montana.
One of the major driving forces of both the "Sonic" movies and video games are mysterious
stones known as Chaos Emeralds.
In the new trailer, we see that Dr. Robotnik has discovered what he refers to as a source
of ultimate power, which is revealed to be the green Chaos Emerald.
These particular gems, within the game series, are imbued with fantastic powers like time
manipulation or the ability to transform its holder into a being of vast cosmic power,
as illustrated by Sonic's yellow-furred iteration that is effectively unstoppable in the video
game "Sonic 3."
Sonic wishes to protect the Chaos Emeralds, while Dr. Robotnik wants to use their power
to remake the world in his own twisted image.
Knuckles is the official guardian of these powerful relics, and his tribe of anthropomorphic
animals is tasked with protecting them.
The trailer sees Dr. Robotnik use a Chaos Emerald to power his army of machines, while
also radiating the awesome power of the Emeralds himself, which is illustrated by the green
arcs of lightning across his body.
Hopefully this means that we might get a glimpse of 'Super Sonic' at some point in "Sonic 2."
As longtime "Sonic" gamers have been pointing out online, there's a moment in the new trailer
that is almost identical to a classic "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" level called the Sky Chase
Zone, in which Tails and Sonic operate a red and white biplane dubbed "The Tornado" through
various obstacles and enemies.
In the new trailer, we see nearly a shot-for-shot recreation of it, with Sonic even standing
on top of the plane's wings just like he does in the game.
While "Sonic the Hedgehog" found a place in the gaming world as Sega's answer to Nintendo's
Mario, it resembled most early '90s games by focusing more on the gameplay than the
storyline.
Collecting golden rings and avoiding obstacles all while going really fast wasn't something
that essentially needed a story in those days.
However, in a small throwback moment from the new trailer, audiences were treated to
a sweet callback to the game that changed all of that.
In a moment with epic slow motion and an obligatory shout-out to the MCU …
"Oh great, the Winter Soldier."
… Sonic jumps from a cave at the top of a mountain and uses a makeshift snowboard
to flee from pursuers.
When Sonic jumps on his board, he lets out a recognizable cheer:
"Hoo hoo hoo!"
Why is this cool?
The exclamation goes back to 1998, with the release of "Sonic Adventure," which was the
first to truly introduce 3D gameplay, the first to be story-driven, and the first to
include a full voice over, including Sonic's little cheer.
"Woo hoo!
Woo hoo!"
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