Inside the official Sonic the Hedgehog movie.

[Daikun]

UPDATE: More detailed post. For the children.

This is a project that was in development for 2 years...and then Sega turned around and swiped it from the producers' hands. What could've been an official, theatrical Sonic film produced by DiC (yes, the original team behind Sonic SatAM) and distributed by Universal was started in 2006, then cancelled in late 2007 when Sega decided to switch companies. The following videos are a 3-part interview with the writer/director of the project.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rggorWTNvJQ

 

[Ryusuke]

So let me get this straight...this is once hoax film is now...real? Or, erm...a real concept?

 

[Old Guy]

I was five minutes into part 1 and had to stop. It's just some geek talking about his passion for Sonic.

 

[Daikun]

I was five minutes into part 1 and had to stop. It's just some geek talking about his passion for Sonic.

It's not "just some geek." It's the writer/director for an official Sonic film that would've been produced by DiC and distributed by Universal had Sega not intervened.

And he talks about more than just his passion for Sonic; he gets into juicy details about the film itself.

 

[HellCat]

At the same time, it's a bit hard to get past his gushing

"I always felt SatAM was a result of SEGA's brilliance"

Oh geez...no wonder this never got off the ground..

 

[Nel_Annette]

Ah yes, I remember this guy, every few years he tries pulling this movie thing. Don't believe him. Sega themselves have contacted him before to tell him to stop promoting this thing as if it were actually real, as they only considered it once and never contacted him back.

 

[HellCat]

Is this the same guy who kept telling us he'd have Hillary Duff on the soundtrack?

 

[Dracula_Marth]

I'm not that big a fan of Sonic anymore. I couldn't see the videos so someone tell me: Is the Sonic movie going to be live action?

 

[R-Taco]

I'm not that big a fan of Sonic anymore. I couldn't see the videos so someone tell me: Is the Sonic movie going to be live action?

Not "is", was. It was a 90's animated project that got canned, thankfully.

 

[Mandouga]

"Hillary Duff"?

Considering this, and the fact that he mostly seems to talk about his personal passion for the Sonic (as a couple of you indicate), my intuition tells me that maybe, just maybe, this was for the best. It probably would have only reflected this one person's personal fandom (i.e., it probably wouldn't have reflected a worldwide view of Sonic), making it just another corporate film project.

Anyhow, what exactly does it mean when "Sega decided to switch companies"? Are they still interested in a Sonic movie?

Also, one other thing:

"I always felt SatAM was a result of SEGA's brilliance"

It sounds to me like he doesn't even know what he's talking about. If anything, it was a result of DIC's brilliance, since they were the ones who actually made the show.

 

[Robochao]

If TMS was gonna do the animation for this movie, I would love for them to go back in the bouncy cartoony animation like represented in this.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=sllakPKOZjc

Not stiff Sonic X.

 

[HellCat]

I think quite frankly the guy's potty. He seems to have built up this massive mythology that feels wrong. I mean, when he suggested "we'd see Sonic face his demons"...what? Sonic isn't such a character. His whole character is built on a noble hearted fun seeker, not some Tolkien-esque champion. What this guy seemed to be proposing was "My personal fan fic, out there in the wider world". I could understand that in pursuing a Sonic movie you might need to flesh things out a bit. But this guy doesn't strike me as any different from any other fanboy who goes around the net telling anyone who will listen of his undieing love for the American continuity and why it needs more focus.

 

[TKnHappyNess]

I'm not that big a fan of Sonic anymore. I couldn't see the videos so someone tell me: Is the Sonic movie going to be live action?

I sure as hell hope not. We all know what happened with the Mario movie being live action.

 

[DarthGonzo]

I sure as hell hope not.

They're not making this movie anyway, so you don't have to worry.

As far as what Hellcat just said: wow, that's really sad.

 

[HellCat]

They're not making this movie anyway, so you don't have to worry.

As far as what Hellcat just said: wow, that's really sad.

In what respect? I'm sad for saying it?

 

[DarthGonzo]

In what respect? I'm sad for saying it?

Oh no no no no. Not at all. I'm talking about the guy who is going on and on about how great Sega and Sonic is, whatever his name is.

 

[Infusions]

I've noticed that with Sonic, there's always some conflict when it comes to making cartoons about him.

He's had like, a bunch of shows and a lot of them either get cancelled or canned.

Why is it so hard to make a Sonic cartoon. :0

 

[Mist]

SEGA of Japan has been a roadblock keeping many filmmakers from making a Sonic the Hedgehog feature.

Ken Penders had several meetings with SEGA from 2000 to 2003 about making a Sonic feature. These never worked out, and I personally, am glad for that. People need to stop trying to revive a cancelled cartoon from 1993 that only lasted for 22 episodes. It's obscure and only appeals to a small internet following, Not to mention the storyline is basically just Star Wars with talking animals (There's even a Wizard which talks EXACTLY like Yoda in the 3rd episode. Also, Robotnik is basically Vader, Sally is Leia) and it doesnt even follow the storyline of the videogames.

Dreamworks animation was set to make a Knuckles the Echinda feature but that never worked out.

When it all comes down to it, you can have all the agents you want to help sell the thing, all the animation studios ready to do the hard labor, and all the movie companies ready to cough out the dough to fianace the thing, but if you do not have SEGA of Japan's approval, it's not going to happen.

And for that, I am glad. Let's face it. Hollywood would've just turned a Sonic movie into something like "Kung fu Panda" (I hear its a good movie, but definitely not the style for a Sonic film) "Space Chimps" or a live-action/CGI combo like Underdog. OR a SatAM inspired mess.

I think the only way we will see a quality Sonic film is if one day, a Sonic fan who grew up with the franchise approaches SEGA of Japan with a story that caters to the videogame universe, and has a writing staff that doesn't try to 'dumb it down' for a kiddie audience (I realize Sonic is for kids, but most studios today if they made a Sonic film, would fill it with fart jokes, tone down the 'action' sequences and try to make them silly, and fill the soundtrack with songs from the Jonas Brothers)

 

[Mandouga]

"A bunch"?

I don't mean to sound like a wet blanket, but he's only had 4 shows: 3 American ("Adventures of...", "SatAM", and "...Underground") and one Japanese (the aforementioned Sonic X). There is also a Japanese OVA movie (it was released by ADV in the U.S.).

As for "why is it so hard to make a Sonic cartoon", IMHO, it really depends on who you ask. That is, some might say it's easy, while others might say it's hard. In any case, it's not that simple however you slice it. Me? Well, my take on the whole matter is a long story, and goes beyond the parameters of this topic.

As for Sonic "facing his demons", you never really know. Maybe he did at some point, but we never see it in any TV episode or video game. I will agree however, that he is a "noble hearted fun seeker" and "not some Tolkien-esque champion".

 

[PC!]

That guy is just a random dude in the Sonic fandom that really wants to make his own Sonic movie. Nothing more than that.