Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog movie franchise has crossed $1 billion in worldwide box office receipts, marking a significant achievement for the Japanese gaming company’s Hollywood venture.
The latest installment, “Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” has generated $279 million globally since its December release, with $100 million coming from markets outside North America. The film, which features Tokyo as its backdrop, topped the US box office with $62 million in its opening weekend.
The franchise’s success extends beyond theatrical releases. The first two films accumulated $725.2 million at the box office and $181 million in rental and purchase revenue. A spin-off series, “Knuckles,” on Paramount+ logged over 11 million viewing hours in its first 28 days, setting a record for kids and family content on the platform.
The third movie, which introduces Shadow as a dark antihero, has received positive reviews with an 86% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. In Japan, where it opened on December 27, the film earned yen 69 million (US$439,000) in its first weekend, surpassing its predecessors’ opening numbers.
Keanu Reeves joins the franchise’s voice cast, which includes Ben Schwartz and Idris Elba, under the direction of Jeff Fowler.
