Bringing popular franchises and characters onto the big screen has been an industry go-to over the past few decades. From a business perspective, it’s a surefire way to attract the attention of fans, given that the product sells itself based on the media’s popularity. With this being said, many have fallen short of reaching the expected momentum. While it doesn’t seem like the film industry is letting go of the live-action anime adaptations with titles such as One Punch-Man, Naruto, Attack on Titan, Gundam, Death Note, My Hero Academia, and Voltron still in the works, one movie is a guiding light that studios can learn from when it comes to sticking the landing in the box office: Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
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If some are still on the fence about this live-action film series’ success, the recent box office numbers speak for themselves. Within its first week of release, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 made $67.6 million in box office sales and was the top box-office film for the pre-Christmas season, a heavily sought position in Hollywood given its seasonal timing. When numbers aren’t enough, fans and critics are raving about the film, with positive reviews aiming at the authenticity of its source material and wide-reaching fan service. With a 97% Verified Hot Audience score and an 88% Certified Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, the film has checked all the boxes for how to approach a live-action adaptation.
Sure, the film series had two previous movie installments and a spin-off series, but this didn’t come from thin air. The foundation for this live-action universe to take off had some downfalls early on, with the infamous Ugly Sonic controversy upon the first film’s trailer debut. While that didn’t translate well for audiences, the company took the feedback and improved on it, delaying the release by four months to redesign Sonic. For fans, this presented a few crucial successful tips for why the live-action Sonic franchise was on the fast track to becoming a blockbuster hit: Dedication to the craft and love for the material.
Sonic 3 Translates the Franchise Perfectly For Moviegoers and Fans Alike
RELATED: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Will “Take a Lot” From Sonic Adventure 2
In the industry, there are times when live-action anime adaptations do too little or go too far when translating source material. Anime like One Piece and Naruto have been going on for years spanning multiple episodes and seasons. As opposed to Netflix’s seasonal approach to One Piece, a movie for Naruto would have to cover a lot of ground within two to three hours to preserve the themes. This brings us to Sonic the Hedgehog 3 which highlights Shadow’s backstory in a way that doesn’t cling to its video game storyline but doesn’t stray too far from its origins. Audiences don’t want to see the same stories told on a bigger screen; they want to see something that respects the original and builds from it.
While Sonic 3 rose to this occasion, straying too far off the path can be risky. Netflix’s Death Note took one of the best anime series and adapted the setting to Seattle, Washington, with an American cast of characters. Right off the bat, your attention centers around the reasoning behind moving the title to the United States instead of Tokyo, which was never mentioned in the film itself. In Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic is brought to Green Hills by one of Longclaw’s rings, which establishes the cause for changing the scenery to make sense of their plot.
To respect the work, it’s important to note the risk of adapting anime to live-action. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 brought the visual style the franchise is known for which consists of action-packed scenes and a colorful display of characters. A good story can transcend time, but when the visual style valued by the anime is taken away, you’re diverted from the driving factor. We knew that the team behind the first Sonic film realized this when they got feedback from viewers after the initial trailer. Fast-forward to Sonic 3 and the visual style is locked in with many fans praising its character designs, which slightly change the looks for a more modern/realistic approach.
Sonic 3 Understands Its Audience Whole-Heartedly
For live-action anime adaptations, knowing your audience is essential. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 curated a film that caters to fans of the franchise and new viewers. While it might help to watch the previous films, you could watch the movie and still enjoy the story. Anime adaptations have proven difficult to satisfy all parties given the challenge of attracting new audiences and having to nail the aspects fans love. 2007’s Avatar: The Last Airbender brought anime fans to the theaters, but it wasn’t a dealbreaker for those who had never watched the show. Essentially, you boil down the essentials and craft a product that resonates with all audiences in mind.
This brings us to the next topic: Casting. Movie-goers love to see top-tier actors in these projects, which adds to the validity of the product. When people see Keanu Reeves listed as Shadow the Hedgehog in the film, that is a deal breaker for some. It could also be said that Carrey’s return to the big screen was a selling point, given he was set to ‘retire’ and would only come back if the script was written in gold ink. The team behind Sonic the Hedgehog 3 knows its audience and brings the best of the best to portray these characters, even if that means having Jim Carrey portray Ivo and Gerald Robotnik.
With this being said, the actors themselves give spectacular performances, as seen in our Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review. Live-action animes have seen great talent aboard their projects, like Academy Award-nominated actors LaKeith Stanfield, Willem Dafoe in Death Note, and Scarlett Johansson in Ghost in the Shell. That might drive audiences to the theaters, but when the project isn’t great, then it loses its magic. The Sonic films built their reputation over four years and established its ongoing success with movie-goers.
Sonic 3 Was Crafted With Admiration for the Franchise
The budget also plays the risk of bringing animes into the live-action environment. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has an estimated budget of $122 million whereas Sonic the Hedgehog is estimated at $85 million. 2010’s Avatar: The Last Airbender’s budget was estimated to be $150 million and was criticized for having weak special effects and lacking in translating the world onto the big screen. Animes, especially fantasy ones, can rack up the budget due to their extensive special effects and design. What Sonic the Hedgehog 3 accomplishes within its budget is incredible bringing six fully CG characters to the screen after starting with just Sonic.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 delivers a spectacular story that gives its cast and crew their time in the spotlight. The product that was put forth was done without being put under a time crunch, which has been a frequent reason why some live-action adaptations have failed. As we’ve seen with the Sonic design controversy, the team delayed the project to give themselves enough time to create the best version of their character. When a project like Sonic the Hedgehog 3 comes around, you can tell that this was made by a team that loves the franchise and is dedicated to putting forth their best work.
Sonic 3 Has a Team of Like-Minded Individuals Who Value the Sonic the Hedgehog Franchise
Having people knowledgeable about the series is another surefire way to get the best result. Jeff Fowler originally worked on a CGI movie production for the 2005 video game Shadow the Hedgehog. Fowler, Pat Casey, and Josh Miller are video gamers and have expressed their desire to continue working on adaptations like Sonic and other franchises like Golden Axe and The Legend of Zelda. It’s also worth noting that some of SEGA’s top-tier employees, including CEO Haruki Satomi, are listed as producers for the film
These people know the fan base and understand bringing a complex character like Shadow to the big screen is a huge deal. Understanding the risk is admirable and having individuals knowledgeable about the product is the best approach to valuing the original work for what it is.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 took years to get right and it’s finally paying off for them, as they’ve already made half of their estimated budget within a week of release. When you acknowledge the fans’ admiration for the franchise, you see how much they want to see these adaptations succeed. Anime such as Attack on Titan, Naruto, and Death Note hold a special place in the hearts of many, you can’t just adapt a beloved show and expect fans to see the film if the passion and dedication aren’t worn on its sleeve. What Sonic the Hedgehog 3 accomplished is monumental bringing a classic title like Sonic Adventures 2 to the big screen and succeeding. While it didn’t take everything from it, the love towards it was still there for all to learn from.
