Sony Pictures is collaborating with Sega Sammy’s Marza Animation Planet to create a new Sonic the Hedgehog film. Before you ponder the utter surrealism of Sony – whose PS2 is credited for dealing the death blow to Sega’s hardware ambitions – producing a Sonic film, wait till you hear what the film will be like.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film will be a mix of computer animation and live action. Remember the dreadful Sonic Live comic? Now imagine that in film. Now cry.
Columbia Pictures president of production Hannah Minghella stated that, “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.”
Marza CEO Masanao Maeda was upbeat, stating that, “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.” What CG/live action films has Sony produced? The awful Smurfs films.
So far, Neal Moritz of Total Recall and I Am Legend “fame” will produce the film while Upright Citizens Brigade’s Evan Susser and Van Robichaux will be writing the script.