Many Sonic the Hedgehog fans are aware that the series deals with interesting lore. Sonic Adventure 2 features Sonic being framed for Shadow's crimes and escaping military custody, Sonic Heroessees Metal Sonic overthrowing Eggman to try and take over the world, and more. Now, these games have a chance to hit the big screen through a Sonic cinematic universe, but things may get tricky as the films get close to adapting Sonic's more recent titles.
In the first Sonic the Hedgehog movie, Sonic comes to Earth through a ring that sends him across the galaxy. Due to this, Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are seen as intergalactic alien creatures. While the story of Sonic being from another world seems overdone for a live-action/CGI film, it actually fits rather well for the overall scope of the cinematic universe. Several key elements of the Sonic franchise deal with alien lifeforms, but this only scratches the surface of what the series deals with.
The Reach of the Sonic Cinematic Universe
Both Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 have made record profits for video game movies. While Sonic fans make up a fair portion of that audience, there are also viewers who have likely never played a Sonic game. While this isn't a bad thing, as it helps boost exposure for the entire franchise, it may mean that when games such as Sonic Unleashed get adapted for cinemas, newer fans might not accept it as openly.
An important aspect of any story deals is keeping the audience within their suspension of disbelief. This concept deals with how long viewers can ignore that certain elements in a story aren't real for the sake of immersion. It's important for any media to keep people interested, no matter how out-there it seems, that way viewers can enjoy the story without questions. Some later Sonic games, many of which Sega pulled off of the market due to bad reception years back, tested the suspension of disbelief for many players. Movies adapting these games may end up confusing an entirely new audience in the same way.
The Stories of Recent Sonic Games
Many loyal Sonic fans who have routinely kept up with the series know that each game differs in terms of story. One game may deal with Sonic and friends racing on hoverboards in a Grand Prix around the world, and the next sees Sonic being kidnapped by Dr. Eggman for six months as the entire world is at war. While jumping between these different tones might be normal in video games, movies require a more cohesive narrative. This may lead to a problem when it comes to adapting the stories of the more recent games in particular.
Due to the differing nature of these games' stories, it may lead fans to wonder how titles like Sonic and the Black Knight or Sonic Generations may be adapted. However, there's a high chance that many people who haven't played the games prior to the Sonic films would either be confused or lose interest in movies or TV shows dealing with Sonic the Werehog or Sonic's escapades with the Babylon Rogues from Sonic Riders. Yet, these games shouldn't be ignored when it comes to deciding what the cinematic universe should adapt.
Why the Sonic Cinematic Universe Should Adapt Newer Games
Even as confusing as some of the more recent additions to Sonic lore can be, using them to expand the Sonic cinematic universe has tons of potential. Sonic Unleashed and Sonic and the Black Knight have been praised by many Sonic fans for their stories, with the latter being seen as an example of how Sonic stories should be in general, and Unleashed's opening cutscene is akin to a movie by itself. This means many Sonic fans are hoping to see these games adapted in some way, and the cinematic universe should keep them in mind.
For the sake of potentially bringing Sonic the Werehog or even the Wisps to cinemas, Paramount may need to look into adapting these games to fit what's already been established in the cinematic universe. This is important to make sure newer audience aren't confused. However, the changes to these fan-favorite narratives will need to be done with care, or the entire audience may be lost as some Sonic fans don't take well to the changes that Paramount makes.
The trouble with adapting video games to film in a way that interests an audience isn't exclusive to the Sonic franchise. Video game movies in general tend to have a divide between an audience made of loyal players and casual viewers. While some movies try to interest viewers by indulging and embracing lore exclusive to the film universe, more often than not players aren't invested. On the other side, if these video game films try to keep only players in mind, they might be completely lost on newer viewers. It's important that the Sonic movies continue to try and entertain both audiences.
However, while adapting games with a less-than-positive reception may seem like a risk, if done well these projects could be great for the Sonic cinematic universe. Despite how some fans have questioned the addition of Sonic Colors' Wisps and Sonic Lost World's Deadly Six, these newer games could easily make great movies if enough care is put into the project. While it's understandable that not every game might work as a movie, Paramount should look at these as a challenge and tackle the unexpected territory of recent Sonic lore. In the end, faithful movies of even the strangest parts of Sonic the Hedgehog's history could be beneficial.