• Latest
  • Trending
sonic the hedgehog

How ‘Ugly Sonic’ Outrage Sparked a Billion-Dollar Makeover

1 year ago
The Black Forest Murders Review

The Black Forest Murders Review: Beyond Spectacle, Into the Grim Expanse

Hearts Around the Table: Josh’s Third Serving Review

Hearts Around the Table: Josh’s Third Serving Review: A Gentle Tale of Teachers and Teens

Amityville: Where the Echo Lives Review

Amityville: Where the Echo Lives Review – Charting Inner Turmoil in a Familiar Frame

Game of Thrones: Kingsroad Review

Game of Thrones: Kingsroad Review: A Song of Systems and Sorrows

Gannibal Season 2 Review

Gannibal Season 2 Review: Blood Legacy and Brutal Truths Unveiled

Stick Season 1 Review

Stick Season 1 Review: Owen Wilson Drives a Heartfelt, Flawed Dramedy

Henry Fonda For President Review

Henry Fonda For President Review: More Than a Man, A Mirror to America

825 Forest Road Review

825 Forest Road Review: Cognetti’s Ambitious, Uneven Haunting

Eric Larue Review

Eric Larue Review: No Easy Answers in This Unsparing Drama

The Heart Knows Review

The Heart Knows Review: Searching for Sincerity in a Tale of Two Worlds

To a T Review

To a T Review: Finding Perfection in an Imperfect Shape

Mad Unicorn Review

Mad Unicorn Review: Ambition and Its Echoes in the Global Stream

  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Gazettely Review Guidelines
Sunday, June 1, 2025
GAZETTELY
  • Home
  • Movie and TV News
    Michael Cera Jackie Chan

    Michael Cera Says Jackie Chan Mistook Him for a Contest Winner

    Finn Bennett

    Finn Bennett Joins Targaryen Court in HBO’s Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

    Elio

    Pixar’s “Elio” Sets June 20 Liftoff With New Directors at the Controls

    The Return

    Malta Lines Up “The Return” and “Compulsion” for Mediterrane Film Festival

    Alan Alda Loretta Swit

    Alda Hails Swit’s Legacy After Emmy-Winning Star’s Death

    Doctor Odyssey

    Disney Faces Harassment Suit From Doctor Odyssey Crew

    paramount

    California Senate Probes Paramount’s $15 M Offer to Trump

    Valerie Mahaffey

    Emmy Winner Valerie Mahaffey Dies at 71, Publicist Confirms

    Terrifier-4

    Damien Leone Pledges Epic Backstory Reveal in Terrifier 4

  • Movie and TV Reviews
    The Black Forest Murders Review

    The Black Forest Murders Review: Beyond Spectacle, Into the Grim Expanse

    Hearts Around the Table: Josh’s Third Serving Review

    Hearts Around the Table: Josh’s Third Serving Review: A Gentle Tale of Teachers and Teens

    Amityville: Where the Echo Lives Review

    Amityville: Where the Echo Lives Review – Charting Inner Turmoil in a Familiar Frame

    Gannibal Season 2 Review

    Gannibal Season 2 Review: Blood Legacy and Brutal Truths Unveiled

    Stick Season 1 Review

    Stick Season 1 Review: Owen Wilson Drives a Heartfelt, Flawed Dramedy

    Henry Fonda For President Review

    Henry Fonda For President Review: More Than a Man, A Mirror to America

    825 Forest Road Review

    825 Forest Road Review: Cognetti’s Ambitious, Uneven Haunting

    Eric Larue Review

    Eric Larue Review: No Easy Answers in This Unsparing Drama

    The Heart Knows Review

    The Heart Knows Review: Searching for Sincerity in a Tale of Two Worlds

  • Game Reviews
    Game of Thrones: Kingsroad Review

    Game of Thrones: Kingsroad Review: A Song of Systems and Sorrows

    To a T Review

    To a T Review: Finding Perfection in an Imperfect Shape

    Spray Paint Simulator Review

    Spray Paint Simulator Review: Coating the Town, One Careful Layer at a Time

    F1 25 Review

    F1 25 Review: A Stunning Drive, If You Have the Right Rig

    Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo Review

    Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo Review: Whip-Smart Mechanics and Pixel Charm

    Elden Ring Nightreign Review

    Elden Ring Nightreign Review: Condensed Chaos for Tarnished Veterans

    Scar-Lead Salvation Review

    Scar-Lead Salvation Review: An Anime Perspective on a Rogue-like Path

    Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3 Review

    Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3 Review: The Taranis’s Final, Heartfelt Song

    Death end re;Quest Code Z Review

    Death end re;Quest Code Z Review: A Perilous Loop of Progress

  • The Bests
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Movie and TV News
    Michael Cera Jackie Chan

    Michael Cera Says Jackie Chan Mistook Him for a Contest Winner

    Finn Bennett

    Finn Bennett Joins Targaryen Court in HBO’s Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

    Elio

    Pixar’s “Elio” Sets June 20 Liftoff With New Directors at the Controls

    The Return

    Malta Lines Up “The Return” and “Compulsion” for Mediterrane Film Festival

    Alan Alda Loretta Swit

    Alda Hails Swit’s Legacy After Emmy-Winning Star’s Death

    Doctor Odyssey

    Disney Faces Harassment Suit From Doctor Odyssey Crew

    paramount

    California Senate Probes Paramount’s $15 M Offer to Trump

    Valerie Mahaffey

    Emmy Winner Valerie Mahaffey Dies at 71, Publicist Confirms

    Terrifier-4

    Damien Leone Pledges Epic Backstory Reveal in Terrifier 4

  • Movie and TV Reviews
    The Black Forest Murders Review

    The Black Forest Murders Review: Beyond Spectacle, Into the Grim Expanse

    Hearts Around the Table: Josh’s Third Serving Review

    Hearts Around the Table: Josh’s Third Serving Review: A Gentle Tale of Teachers and Teens

    Amityville: Where the Echo Lives Review

    Amityville: Where the Echo Lives Review – Charting Inner Turmoil in a Familiar Frame

    Gannibal Season 2 Review

    Gannibal Season 2 Review: Blood Legacy and Brutal Truths Unveiled

    Stick Season 1 Review

    Stick Season 1 Review: Owen Wilson Drives a Heartfelt, Flawed Dramedy

    Henry Fonda For President Review

    Henry Fonda For President Review: More Than a Man, A Mirror to America

    825 Forest Road Review

    825 Forest Road Review: Cognetti’s Ambitious, Uneven Haunting

    Eric Larue Review

    Eric Larue Review: No Easy Answers in This Unsparing Drama

    The Heart Knows Review

    The Heart Knows Review: Searching for Sincerity in a Tale of Two Worlds

  • Game Reviews
    Game of Thrones: Kingsroad Review

    Game of Thrones: Kingsroad Review: A Song of Systems and Sorrows

    To a T Review

    To a T Review: Finding Perfection in an Imperfect Shape

    Spray Paint Simulator Review

    Spray Paint Simulator Review: Coating the Town, One Careful Layer at a Time

    F1 25 Review

    F1 25 Review: A Stunning Drive, If You Have the Right Rig

    Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo Review

    Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo Review: Whip-Smart Mechanics and Pixel Charm

    Elden Ring Nightreign Review

    Elden Ring Nightreign Review: Condensed Chaos for Tarnished Veterans

    Scar-Lead Salvation Review

    Scar-Lead Salvation Review: An Anime Perspective on a Rogue-like Path

    Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3 Review

    Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3 Review: The Taranis’s Final, Heartfelt Song

    Death end re;Quest Code Z Review

    Death end re;Quest Code Z Review: A Perilous Loop of Progress

  • The Bests
No Result
View All Result
GAZETTELY
No Result
View All Result
sonic the hedgehog

Zelda Director Aims for Ambitious Yet Grounded Live-Action Adaptation

Total War: Warhammer 3 Regains Steam with Thrones of Decay Revival

Home Entertainment Movies

How ‘Ugly Sonic’ Outrage Sparked a Billion-Dollar Makeover

Five years later, the dramatically redesigned Sonic movie lives on as a box office behemoth after the notorious 'Ugly Sonic' trailer threatened to doom the franchise before it began.

Naser Nahandian by Naser Nahandian
1 year ago
in Entertainment, Entertainment News, Movies
Reading Time: 2 mins read
A A
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on WhatsAppShare on Telegram

Five years ago, the newly unveiled trailer for the live-action Sonic the Hedgehog movie threatened to derail the Blue Blur’s big-screen ambitions before they even truly began. The infamous “Ugly Sonic” design, featuring disturbing human-like teeth, hands, and beady eyes, shattered the hopes of fans yearning for a faithful transition of their beloved Sega icon to film.

The internet backlash was so immense that it ultimately catalyzed a dramatic, franchise-altering course correction by director Jeff Fowler and Paramount Pictures. Recognizing the design missed the mark, Fowler made the pivotal decision to delay the film by three months to comprehensively redesign Sonic into a truer representation of the classic Sega games.

As the original horrific trailer fades into internet lore, the extent of that crucial change becomes even more evident seeing where the Sonic movie universe now stands – a burgeoning billion-dollar franchise riding high off two hugely successful theatrical releases.

“That original design screams a misguided desire to make something that looked ‘realistic’ as opposed to the final, much more cartoony and game-accurate design,” reflected one critic revisiting the infamous debut trailer this month.

When the redesigned Sonic finally revealed his updated look months later, the night-and-day difference drew effusive praise. Shots directly recreating controversial earlier moments, like Sonic’s first meeting with human friend Tom, were now met with sighs of relief rather than cringes of horror.

The refreshed take better blended Sonic’s iconic aesthetic with the live-action world in a way fans celebrated. This redesign set the stage for the 2020 film to overcome the initial PR nightmare and become an unexpected critical and commercial hit, grossing over $319 million globally.

From there, a sequel doubled that haul last year pulling in over $400 million. A Paramount+ spin-off series centered on Idris Elba’s Knuckles has kept fan excitement percolating. And the newly announced Sonic the Hedgehog 3, starring Keanu Reeves as rival Shadow, has rapidly become one of the most anticipated upcoming releases.

sonic the hedgehog

What first seemed destined for a one-and-done blasphemous video game movie adaptation is now a certifiable box office franchise – all because fans’ passionate pleas for change were finally heeded half a decade ago.

While the ‘Ugly Sonic’ edition remains preserved in internet infamy as a cautionary tale of how not to bring a beloved property to life, the actual Sonic movies have masterfully turned public perception around 180 degrees. From a fan’s greatest fear to their modern movie renaissance, it’s a true underdog story that may never have materialized if not for that fateful, ire-inducing first trailer.

Tags: Ben SchwartzComedyFamilyJames MarsdenJeff FowlerJim CarreyParamount PicturesSonic the HedgehogTika Sumpter
Previous Post

Zelda Director Aims for Ambitious Yet Grounded Live-Action Adaptation

Next Post

Total War: Warhammer 3 Regains Steam with Thrones of Decay Revival

Try AI Movie Recommender

Gazettely AI Movie Recommender

This Week's Top Reads

  • The Librarians: The Next Chapter

    The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 1 Review – Bridging Eras with Spellbinding Charm

    26 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Mountainhead Review: Deepfakes and Deep Trouble

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Boglands Review: Shadows and Whispers in the Irish Mist

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Death Valley Review: A Witty Welsh Wander into Cosy Crime

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The Better Sister Season 1 Review: Not Quite a Killer Thriller

    8 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Nine Puzzles Season 1 Review: Puzzle Pieces, Pain, and Police Procedurals

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • I Only Rest in the Storm Review: When Documentary Meets Fiction

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Must Read Articles

Game of Thrones: Kingsroad Review
Reviews Games

Game of Thrones: Kingsroad Review: A Song of Systems and Sorrows

15 hours ago
Stick Season 1 Review
TV Shows

Stick Season 1 Review: Owen Wilson Drives a Heartfelt, Flawed Dramedy

15 hours ago
Destination X Review
Entertainment

Destination X Review: A Game of Veiled Realities

2 days ago
Earnhardt Review
Entertainment

Earnhardt Review: The Anatomy of a NASCAR Titan

2 days ago
The Ritual Review
Entertainment

The Ritual Review: An Unsettled Echo in a Somber Chamber

3 days ago
Loading poll ...
Coming Soon
Who is the best director in the horror thriller genre?

Gazettely is your go-to destination for all things gaming, movies, and TV. With fresh reviews, trending articles, and editor picks, we help you stay informed and entertained.

© 2021-2024 All Rights Reserved for Gazettely

What’s Inside

  • Movie & TV Reviews
  • Game Reviews
  • Featured Articles
  • Latest News
  • Editorial Picks

Quick Links

  • Home
  • About US
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise with Us
  • Review Guidelines

Follow Us

Facebook X-twitter Youtube Instagram
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Movies
  • Entertainment News
  • Movie and TV Reviews
  • TV Shows
  • Game News
  • Game Reviews
  • Contact Us

© 2024 All Rights Reserved for Gazettely

Go to mobile version