Sonic Universe Set to Grow as Paramount Eyes 2028 Sonic Universe Movie Spinoff

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Sonic the Hedgehog is getting a spin-off movie as part of a larger ‘Sonic Universe‘ series, and Paramount Pictures is aiming to release it on December 22, 2028. This move comes as Sonic’s films compete with the popular Mario movies for box office success, according to a report from MarketingPartnerships.

This news follows a previous report by Deadline stating the studio intended to release two large-scale franchise films during the 2028 holiday season. The other film, a live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie currently without a title, is scheduled for release on November 17th.

The listings for Sonic Universe and its logo are probably temporary. The official description is intentionally unclear since the project is still in early development. It only states that a new spin-off film from the popular Sonic the Hedgehog franchise is coming with a fresh adventure. Neal Moritz, who produced the last three Sonic movies, will also produce this one.

It’s now obvious that movie studios are willing to heavily invest in turning video games into films. Also, David Ellison, the CEO of Paramount Skydance, is continuing the strategy he established when he first took over.

The Box Office Shift Toward Gaming IP

According to Deadline, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 debuted at number one in the US last year, earning $60.1 million domestically. It ultimately made $236.1 million in the US and $492.1 million globally. The entire Sonic film series has now earned Paramount a total of $1.2 billion. Additionally, the Knuckles spin-off series on Paramount+ was a hit, becoming the most-watched kids and family show on the platform.

A fourth Sonic movie is scheduled for sometime in 2027.

Releasing a new Sonic movie every year or two is similar to Nintendo’s plan for adapting its games into films. The Super Mario Bros. Movie from 2023 earned over a billion dollars globally. However, Nintendo doesn’t seem to be aiming for a connected cinematic universe like Marvel. While a Super Mario Galaxy movie is possible, The Legend of Zelda film will be live-action, suggesting Nintendo will explore different types of movies instead.

This year has seen surprising success for video game adaptations. A Minecraft Movie earned nearly $1 billion globally, and Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 has already grossed over $220 million in under a month. This contrasts with established franchises like Jurassic Park, Superman, and many Marvel Cinematic Universe films, which didn’t perform as well. It appears movies based on video games – and particularly those building a Sonic cinematic universe – are becoming increasingly popular with audiences.

Franchise movies are likely to remain highly profitable for film studios, and David Ellison is banking on that trend continuing.

Ellison’s Franchise Focus

Last August, when David Ellison became CEO of Paramount, he and fellow film chief Josh Greenstein revealed a plan to focus on big franchise movies released in cinemas. While they discussed potential franchises like Star Trek, Transformers, and World War Z, they didn’t mention anything about a Sonic movie at that time.

Many film series had been unsuccessful or hadn’t produced new content for years. However, the success of the Sonic movies demonstrated potential even before the leadership change at Paramount, and video game adaptations now appear to be becoming very popular. Paramount plans to release a Street Fighter movie in 2026 and recently hired Peter Berg to direct a Call of Duty film with a script by Taylor Sheridan.

Okay, so everyone’s buzzing about what Paramount’s planning next with the Sonic universe, and honestly, all signs are pointing to a Shadow the Hedgehog movie! I mean, they really introduced him in Sonic 3 – and Keanu Reeves voicing him was just perfect – and it felt like they were definitely setting him up for more. We might get a few clues in Sonic 4, but for now, like everyone else, I guess we just have to be patient and see if the rumors are true. I’m really hoping they do him justice!

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2025-12-29 21:59