Products You May Like
Fans were ecstatic to find out today that Paramount Pictures is moving forward with a sequel to their hit movie adaptation of Sonic the Hedgehog. The film, previously mired in controversy due to the nature of its design of the titular speedster, became a quick hit when it arrived in theaters earlier this year (weeks ahead of the coronavirus pandemic), and remains the second highest grossing movie of the year worldwide and the highest grossing video game adaptation in the United States. Based on how that first movie ended the filmmakers have clear plans for where to take the sequel, but we’ve got two suggestions: Knuckles the Echidna and Chaos Emeralds.
The first movie sets up the first of these in the opening scene as Sonic himself is chased by a clan of masked characters who are all clearly Echidnas. This moment puts the blue hedgehog on a path toward living on Earth and the events of the first movie. It’s not explicitly addressed any further in the movie, but its post-credit scene with Tails sets up a confrontation as the two-tailed fox finds himself looking for Sonic and “hoping he’s not too late.”
So who are these mysterious Echidnas? All we know about them is that they’re after Sonic and his “abilities,” seemingly for the same reasons that Jim Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik wants him. This mystery crusade, combined with the post-credit gag of Carrey’s full transformation into “Egg Man,” gives the sequel a prime opportunity to introduce the fan-favorite Knuckles. Much like the early video games, Knuckles and Sonic could seemingly start as Enemies (fueled by his kind’s cause and Egg Man’s insistence) before eventually teaming up together. Enemies to friends is a hallmark of kids movie and video game narratives, so this seems like an easy achievement.
The Chaos Emeralds need not be a major part of the movie though, all we need is a Thanos like tease of their existence in a post-credit scene or even the use of a single Emerald as the MacGuffin for the sequel’s plot ala Guardians of the Galaxy. In any event, the use of the Chaos Emeralds will no doubt draw Infinity Stones comparisons from fans and audiences, so leaning into that with playful jabs about snapping, dusting, and “not feeling so good” are certainly in order.
Including not only Knuckles the Echidna but also Chaos Emeralds is a perfect stepping stone for the future of the film series as it will put the movie on a clear destination toward adapting what is countless fan’s favorite Sonic game, Sonic Adventure. The Sega Dreamcast launch title seamlessly combined so many elements of the Sonic world into one cohesive narrative, and introduced the water-themed monster Chaos, a villain that will command the big screen one day in theory.
What do you want to see in the Sonic the Hedgehog sequel? Sound off in the comments below and let us know!
Disclosure: ComicBook is owned by CBS Interactive, a division of ViacomCBS.