Summary
- The Sonic franchise is thriving, leading to demands for a fourth movie installment.
- A potential crossover with Mario could bring excitement and freshness to both franchises.
- Despite the dream of a Mario-Sonic movie, rights being owned by different studios present a major hurdle.
The Sonic the Hedgehog franchise has continued to go from strength to strength with each release, with the recent Sonic the Hedgehog 3 being met with positive responses from moviegoers and critics alike. The franchise continues to deliver box office results too, leading to audiences demanding a fourth installment.
There’s certainly a lot of potential for another film to be created within this franchise, as the characters are vibrant, the connections have been built up, and audiences are enjoying the content. Each Sonic the Hedgehog film has added new characters to keep people interested, but a potential fourth movie could end up tapping into another popular video game franchise to attract someone.
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Why Now Is The Time For Mario
In 2023, the Super Mario Bros. Movie was released, and the characters from the classic Nintendo franchise were entertainingly brought onto the big screen. Led by Chris Pratt as the voice of Mario, the film proved to be a lot of fun in a similar way to the Sonic the Hedgehog films. Those movies have all been big hits with audiences because they’ve tapped into the popularity of the games by giving nods to them while getting the right blend of family-filled comedic moments with serious and dramatic situations to engage every type of audience member.
This is why now could be the ideal time for Mario to jump over to the world of Sonic the Hedgehog. So far, Sony has had no problem bringing in different characters throughout the Sonic the Hedgehog films, and as the third movie proved, they have no problem in dropping huge surprise characters within films too. Those decisions proved to be a hit with audiences, and throwing Mario into the fourth movie would certainly tick that box to get everyone talking.
The character of Mario would be a great fit into what has already been established for the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, and seeing those two characters together would be a massive movie moment. Mario could join forces with Team Sonic for the entire film or simply appear for a cameo at some point, either would be met with positivity. They’ve always been talked about together in the video game world due to the type of franchise characters they are, but the movie versions of them would likely mesh well together too.
This Could Be The Start Of A Wider Franchise
Everyone speculates about major franchises that blend characters from different worlds together now following the popularity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and there’s no reason why movies based on video games couldn’t tap into the same idea. It has happened within video games, and with Sonic and Mario, there’s an opportunity for it to occur due to the large fanbases and the vast worlds already established.
The fact there are movies already established for both characters is a positive situation because they could easily dip in and out of each other’s to potentially set up a franchise.
This idea is enhanced by how many characters exist in those worlds, whether it be Knuckles, Princess Peach, or Bowser; many fun match-ups could happen in future films. Whether it be The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 or Sonic the Hedgehog 4, there’s a chance for growth and surprises that would keep both franchises alive while strengthening them simultaneously.
The Potential Stumbling Block
The idea of Mario and Sonic appearing in the same movie together is a dream fantasy for many video game fans, and there will no doubt be people setting up potential scenarios for how that could end up going down. However, it isn’t as simple as Marvel Studios plucking out one of its many character options to throw into its latest film for a fun crossover cameo. Unfortunately, the rights to the characters are currently owned by different studios, which will provide a potential hurdle for this idea. Sonic is owned by Sony while Mario is under Universal Pictures, and unless they were able to work out some form of leasing agreement, which would likely be expensive, then this idea would stop at exactly that.
While this potential stumbling block is likely going to put a stop to any gamer’s dream of seeing Mario and Sonic together in a movie, the idea itself is a fun one that would suit the franchise of Sonic the Hedgehog. The first three movies have had serious moments, but for the most part, they’re there to provide a fun, family experience that allows everyone to sit back and have a good time. That’s something that would only be enhanced if Mario ended up being in Sonic the Hedgehog 4, whether it was a wink at the classic Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games video game or something more serious, this is a movie decision that audiences would get talking about.
Directed by Jeff Fowler, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 sets up a new threat for Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails by introducing Shadow the Hedgehog. Shadow presents such a big danger to planet Earth, that the heroes have to team up with Dr. Robotnik.