The build-up to the new Sonic the Hedgehog film has been turbulent and this has been because of the appearance of Sonic. Initial concerns about the film stemmed from the humanoid looking Sonic that was revealed in the first trailer, yet these worries were eased with a major redesign. However, a new image of Sonic has surfaced which has divided fans. Some are claiming the image from the upcoming film is the next Baby Yoda, but others are simply horrified by the image.
There is a Japanese language Sonic the Hedgehog trailer which was released on the 26th of December and it has let audiences see Sonic as a baby. Although the character is still looking better than his original cinematic presence, it is a jarring and opinion dividing couple of seconds.
Despite holding a flower and resembling a child, Sonic's teeth are still somewhat unsettling. While Sonic's redesign will likely be present for most of the movie, some will hope that the baby version of the character will get a similar update. On the other hand, some have found the image of Sonic too cute to handle. While universal concern about the original Sonic movie character design prompted change, a mixed response may not cause such action.
The debates around Sonic and his appearance look set to continue. Whether fans love it or hate it, it is not likely to hurt the movie too much. In fact, the last redesign of the character seems to have won a lot of fans over, as most are pleased to have their voices heard and acted upon. While Baby Sonic may not create lasting meme's like Baby Yoda, there will certainly be a wave of fan manipulated content in the coming days. Yet, whether Baby Sonic can have the cultural impact of the other iterations of the character remains to be seen.
Plenty of fans are excited about the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog film regardless of his baby appearance, and most will want to see the Sonic movie reveal more about the character. While video-game films rarely deliver on the potential that the characters possess, the upcoming Sonic film has plenty of buzz surrounding it and a character, regardless of his appearance, who has been hugely popular for many years.
Sonic the Hedgehog will race into theaters February 14, 2020.