Sonic the Hedgehogand Knuckles are tasked with saving Christmas in a new Rankin/ Bass-style animated short, which also features an appearance from Shadow. Based on the beloved Sega video game character, the firstSonic the Hedgehogmovie was released in 2020, introducing Ben Schwartz as the voice of the titular character. TheSonic the Hedgehog 3releaseis now only days away from hitting theaters, with that film set to feature Sonic, Knuckles (Idris Elba), and Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) teaming up against the villainous Shadow (Keanu Reeves).
The officialSonic the Hedgehogaccount on X, formerly Twitter, now shares a new Christmas short for Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails, following the trio as they take over for Santa to deliver presents around the world. Unlike the movies,the short is presented in a stop-motion style of animation reminiscent of the works of Rankin/ Bass Animated Entertainment, the company behind theRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer(1964) TV special. Shadow also makes a brief cameo at the end, teasing what’s to come inSonic the Hedgehog 3. Check out the video below:
What The Christmas Short Means For The Sonic The Hedgehog Franchise
Will A More Traditional Sonic Animation Ever Happen?
TheSonic the Hedgehogmovies are presented in live-action with Sonic himself created using CGI. This format is clearly working for the franchise, as the first movie grossed $319 million worldwide and the second grossed $405 million.Sonic the Hedgehog 4hasn’t yet been confirmed, but if the third movie is a hit, the blue speedster could be returning for another outing presented in the same live-action format.
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The Christmas special above, however, does speak to just how pliable the character is in terms of the different forms he can take. Should some of the live-actionSonic the Hedgehogcast memberslike James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, and Jim Carrey choose not to return for a fourth entry, Schwartz’s version of the character could live on in the form of animation. A feature-length stop-motionSonicmovie seems unlikely, butit’s entirely possible that a more traditional CGI animation tale could be in the character’s future.
Our Take On The Rankin/ Bass-Style Sonic Video
Sonic Shorts Should Return For Other Special Occasions
A stop-motion-style Sonic works well for a Christmas short, andthe style seems well-suited to other holidays and events throughout the year. Sonic could return, in this format, for example, for Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Halloween. This would be a great way to keep the franchise and the character top of mind for audiences between major releases, in addition to teasing potential storylines and characters to come.
Paramount has already experimented with short-formSonic the Hedgehogcontent with theKnucklesTV show, which was a major viewership success on Paramount+. It remains to be seen how Sonic and other familiar characters will be used beyond the movies moving forward, but short videos experimenting with different animation styles could certainly be fun.
Source:Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog is a multimedia franchise that began with Sonic the Hedgehog’s release for the Sega Genesis in 1991. The franchise follows the adventures of the titular Blue Blur, Sonic, as he fights the nefarious Dr. Eggman to protect his friends, family, and the world. The series has expanded into several video games, multiple comic book series, television shows, and a Hollywood feature film series.
