Despite how surreal the idea of a live-action Sonic the Hedgehog movie may seem, it is, in fact, happening and inevitable. If the numerous cast confirmations haven’t been enough to convince you that we will soon live in a world where a blue hedgehog that runs fast will inhabit the same space as real human beings, the newly released trailer certainly will.
The trailer, which you can watch above, gives us a nice overview of the story. As you might expect, it’s a familiar tale of Sonic going up against Robotnik, who is up to no good in San Francisco. This time, though, the bad doctor appears to be affiliated with the military G-men investigating what’s up with the blue hedgehog. He’s also surprisingly sassy for an evil doctor, and the end of the trailer teases a more familiar look for him.
Although Sonic will be brought to life via CGI, the beloved character is being voiced in the movie by Ben Schwartz, who is a seasoned voice actor having appeared as Dewey Duck in the new Duck Tales Show and Rutabaga Rabitowitz in Bojack Horseman.
Dr. Ivo “Eggman” Robotnik, meanwhile, is being played by Jim Carrey. In the games, he’s portrayed as a mad scientist, an archetype that Carrey has played numerous times across his illustrious career. In an interview, Carrey said that that the Sonic movie will appeal to families, but will also have an edge to it. “I made sure that there are some winks and nods, and edgy things that are still acceptable to both age groups,” he explained.
James Marsden, who is known for his recent work in HBO’s Westworld, will also be in the film as a state trooper who catches onto Sonic’s super speed. The new trailer shows him forming a buddy relationship with the speedster and getting into hijinks.
The Sonic movie is being directed by Jeff Fowler (Gopher Broke), with Deadpooldirector Tim Miller producing. It is set for release on November 19, 2019; it was originally expected to premiere in 2018 before being delayed.
