This article contains spoilers for the existing Sonic the Hedgehog franchise.Sonic the Hedgehog 4 was confirmed in late 2024, just a few days before the third film came out in theaters. Luckily, this announcement ended up coming before the franchise’s biggest film yet. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was a huge box office win, making over $492.1 million worldwide. It also got strong reviews, getting a Certified Fresh 85% Tomatometer and a Verified H๏τ 95% Popcornmeter, both on Rotten Tomatoes. ScreenRant‘s Rachel Labonte gave the movie 8 out of 10 stars, praising its new characters.
This huge success puts the pressure on Sonic the Hedgehog 4 to perform. In order to stand out, they will have to try new things, among them likely introducing new characters. The sequel film will have to address several key elements, including deciding whether to miraculously revive Dr. Robotnik, who appeared to die at the end of Sonic 3. While plot points like this and the opportunity to include new characters will help to differentiate the movie, there is one key video game element that the fourth film should be sure to explore.
The Sonic Movies Have Barely Explored The Universe Beyond Earth
But There Is A Lot Of Lore In The Games
So far, the Sonic movies have not really explored the universe beyond Earth. They technically have mentioned these elements, as Sonic’s home planet, Mobius, is seen briefly. The Mushroom Planet also appears in both the first movie and Sonic the Hedgehog 2, as Dr. Robotnik is banished there at the end of the first movie. These snippets acknowledge the intergalactic capacities of the Sega universe, but the movies are largely set on Earth.
By contrast, the Sonic games feature other planets much more prominently. While some entries in the video game franchise are set on Earth, there are entire video games (e.g. Sonic Spinball) set on other planets. The 1990s TV series Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog also heavily featured Mobius. This is something that the Sonic movies have yet to fully take advantage of, leaving ample room for growth opportunities.
Sonic 4 Should Visit Other Planets More Prominently
This Could Create Even Better Action
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 should take the time to explore other planets. The action sequences have already been strong in the existing Sonic franchise, and an intergalactic adventure could make things even more exciting. Mobius would be the most obvious planet to include if expanding the scope of Sonic the Hedgehog 4. This would allow the film to explore more of Sonic’s lore, and better acknowledge some of the stories developed in further detail in the games.
Why The Sonic Movies Might Not Fully Abandon Their Earth Setting
It Could Be Too Expensive
While it would be great to see Sonic the Hedgehog 4 expand the universe in this way, it seems unlikely that the film franchise will fully part from its Earth setting. For one, filming in real settings is likely to keep the cost down for these movies. The Sonic films are considered CGI and live-action hybrid movies, seeing human characters and places interact with CGI-inserted imaginings of the Sega characters. The Sonic movie budgets have already been getting bigger each time, and adding more VFX work would only increase this budget.
Beyond fiscal concerns, there are also plot-related reasons to justify keeping Sonic 4 on Earth. Though Sonic is still from Mobius, Earth is his home now, so the character may be more settled there. Furthermore, it is the home of all the human characters. While characters like Shadow and Knuckles were highly anticipated, the human characters have become well-liked throughout the series. As such, it would be tough to abandon such critical characters, and as fun as transporting the team to other planets could be, it would run potential narrative and financial risks.
