The first official trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog came out earlier this week, resulting in a tidal wave of outrage over live-action Sonic’s appearance. The Internet body shamed the CGI hedgehog from head to toe, including critiques on his wide-set eyes, toothy mouth, and thick thighs.
Paramount and SEGA heard the criticism loud and clear, and they’re giving Sonic a makeover. Director Jeff Fowler tweeted about the backlash, confirming that change is coming.
Thank you for the support. And the criticism. The message is loud and clear… you aren't happy with the design & you want changes. It's going to happen. Everyone at Paramount & Sega are fully committed to making this character the BEST he can be… #sonicmovie #gottafixfast 🔧✌️
— Jeff Fowler (@fowltown) May 2, 2019
What does this mean for the CGI editors and production team who have to work overtime on title characters so late in the game? What’s going to happen to all of the toys and merch that’s about to roll out in stores? Surely there had to have been some sort of focus group early on to make sure that fans were happy with the design, … right?
This is not the first time major characters have been completely changed post-release, a prime example being Yoda in 1999’s Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace, when a digital model replaced the puppet.
If nothing else, this is a perfect example of how social media is changing entertainment. And if fans get their way, Sonic’s redesign will be more faithful to the original ‘90s character who we all fell in love with.
Photo: Paramount Pictures
