In the realm of monumental film industry marketing faux pas, it’s hard to think of something recently that rivals Paramount’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” trailer unveiling.
After fan anticipation was seemingly through the roof, people began to be concerned when leaked images showed a hyper-realistic blue hedgehog character that didn’t resemble the video game counterpart in the least. And then, when the trailer hit earlier this year, fans went nuts and were slamming the film all over social media. And according to producer Tim Miller, he totally understands the frustration that fans had to the original look of the character in the film and thinks everyone will be pleased with the new design.
As alluded to, when the trailer was savaged by fans and film industry professionals left and right, director Jeff Fowler went on social media to announce a delay to the film’s release date so that they could work on the look of Sonic. And this sentiment was echoed by Miller, who spoke to Variety about the importance of getting “Sonic the Hedgehog” right.
“This is a franchise, and it has to be great,” Miller said.
He added, “Look, I was with fans and so was Jeff. When the shit hit the fan, I went over there and said, ‘The most important thing to do, man, is say, ‘I fucked up.’ He’d already sent a tweet out an hour before I got there. He’s a good man. It was exactly the right way to handle that. The fans have a voice in this too. There’s a right way to listen.”
Of course, being that Miller is involved with the production of the film and Fowler is a member of his Blur Studio, who is responsible for bringing the character to life, the producer has been privy to the new designs. And when asked about seeing the designs for himself, he said, “In fact I have. And I think the fans will be pleased.”
Obviously, there will be a renewed interest in all things “Sonic the Hedgehog” when Paramount releases the first new image of the redesign. Arguably there has never been a time in Hollywood history where a look of a character will be as scrutinized as with Sonic. But if you’re a fan hoping for the best, you should be pleased to hear Miller’s comments. Much like what Fowler said before, it appears that the people behind-the-scenes listened to your calls and are really trying to make the fans happy.