Sonic's New Movie Redesign: "I Think Fans Will Be Pleased," Producer Says

People on the internet were not happy with how Sonic the Hedgehog looked in the first trailer (watch it above) for the upcoming Sonic film. The design used elements of the classic Sonic design but largely went in a new direction that some found creepy, and fans let their voices be heard. In response, Paramount announced that it would delay the movie by about three months to implement a new look for the super-fast hedgehog.

The company has yet to show the new design, but producer Tim Miller (Deadpool) has seen it--and he thinks it's great. "I think fans will be pleased," Miller told Variety.

Miller also spoke about how it all went down on the day they revealed Sonic's design to the world and it was swiftly criticised.

"Look, I was with fans and so was Jeff [Fowler, the movie's director]. When the s**t hit the fan, I went over there and said, 'The most important thing to do, man, is say, 'I f**ked up,'" Miller said. "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."

In announcing the change, Fowler thanked fans for their support and their criticism of Sonic's design. "The message is loud and clear... you aren't happy with the design and you want changes. It's going to happen. Everyone at Paramount and Sega are fully committed to making this character the BEST he can be," Fowler said.

There were initial concerns that the VFX team for the Sonic movie would have to pull long hours to change Sonic's design and whatever other related tweaks may be coming. That was before we knew the movie would be delayed, and Fowler specifically suggested this may not be the case, as he used the employee-friendly hashtag #novfxartistswereharmedinthemakingofthismovie when announcing the new release date of February 14, 2020.

Sonic is voiced by Ben Schwartz, a seasoned actor who's been seen on Parks and Recreation and House of Lies, and also voiced characters in the new Duck Tales Show and BoJack Horseman. Dr. Robotnik is played by Jim Carrey.

Fowler and Miller earned Oscar nominations for 2004's animated short film Gopher Broke.