As the sequel to one of the highest-grossing and best-reviewed video game adaptations ever made, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 arrives under the weight of increased expectation and pressure.
If it wasn’t for the pandemic grinding the theatrical industry to a halt just weeks after the opening installment arrived in February 2020, then the iconic speedster’s feature-length debut would have undoubtedly earned more than $319 million at the box office, but it still became the top-earning console-to-screen translation ever made domestically.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is doubling down on fan service for good measure, with Jim Carrey’s Robotnik returning in more game-accurate form, while Idris Elba is stirring up some very confusing feelings as Knuckles, with SEGA stalwart Colleen O’Shaughnessey reprising her long-running role as Tails.
Ahead of the movie’s release on April 8, the first wave of early reactions have arrived online, and they’re about as positive as fans were hoping they would be. As you can see below, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is shaping up to be a worthy and superior successor to the popular opening salvo.
Even though business is still trailing well below pre-pandemic standards, the numbers have shown that blockbuster franchise fare is still more than capable of drawing in a crowd and generating big bucks. With that in mind, it stands to reason that Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is poised to hit big, even if the likes of Morbius, Ambulance, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent will provide plenty of stiff competition.
