Sonic Movie Reportedly in Development at Sony

A film based on the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise is in the works that blends live action and computer animation, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Sega's mascot will reportedly be brought to the big screen courtesy of Sony Pictures, which has partnered with 21 Jump Street and Fast and the Furious producer Neal Moritz for the project. Sony will work with Marza Animation Planet, a subsidiary of Sega Sammy, to produce the "hybrid computer-animated/live-action feature," as the report describes it.

The screenplay will be written by Evan Susser and Van Robichaux, both of whom are former members of the Upright Citizens Brigade comedy group. Details on the story were scant beyond the fact that it will follow Sonic and include existing characters like Dr. Eggman.

"There are limitless stories to tell with a character like Sonic the Hedgehog and a built-in international fan base," said Hannah Minghella, president of production for Columbia Pictures (a division of Sony). "Along with our wonderful creative partners at Marza, we're looking to capture everything that generations of fans know and love about Sonic while also growing his audience wider than ever before."

A launch date for the film was not announced, nor were any potential actors or directors. It was reported earlier this year that a "dark, edgy" Sonic movie intended for older audiences was in the works, but it's unclear if that vision is still in place for this project.

Story has never been a strong suit for the Sonic games, although that hasn't stopped Sega from branching out beyond games in the past. A Sonic animated movie was released in the late '90s, and just earlier this year, Sega announced plans for a new animated television series to launch later this year on Cartoon Network.

For those who prefer to only enjoy their Sonic in game-form, the redesigned Sonic is coming to both Wii U (as Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric) and 3DS (as Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal) this November.

What would you like to see from a Sonic movie? Share your thoughts in the comments below.