Sony is looking to bring the billion dollar ‘Sonic The Hedgehog’ video game franchise to the big screen. The movie will be produced by Neil Moritz (‘I Am Legend’, the in-development ‘Goosebumps’) along with Takeshi Ito and Mie Onishi, based on a script by Upright Citizens Brigade alums Evan Susser and Van Robichaux. The movie will be a hybrid of live action and animation, with the animation handled by Marza Animation Planet, a Japan-based company that is a division of the Sega Sammy Group. Sony previously combined live action and animation to produce the two successful ‘Smurfs’ movies.
The story will follow the world’s fastest hedgehog as he battles the evil Dr. Eggman and should include much of the vast supporting cast from the games like Tails and Knuckles. It’s probably too early in the process to have any further story info.
Over 140 million Sonic games have been sold over the past two decades.
Columbia Pictures president of production Hannah Minghella said:
“There are limitless stories to tell with a character like Sonic the Hedgehog and a built-in international fan base. Along with our wonderful creative partners at Marza, we’re looking to capture everything that generations of fans know and love about Sonic while also growing his audience wider than ever before.”
Masanao Maeda, the CEO of Marza added:
“Sonic has had dozens of adventures on the console and the small screen, and we’re thrilled that he’s now coming to the big screen. Sony Pictures has had great success with hybrid animated and live-action features, and we’re confident that this collaboration will bring a fresh take to Sonic, while still capturing everything that the fans love about him.”
Susser and Robichaux are working on a number of projects, including a live action film version of ‘The Jetsons’.
What do you think? Are you looking forward to a live action ‘Sonic’ movie?
Source: THR
