In its seventh week at the box office, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 just crossed another major milestone. The latest movie in the Sonic franchise debuted in a rapidly expanding movie slate. It faced compeтιтion from Mufasa: The Lion King, which was released on the same day, Wicked, Gladiator 2, Moana 2, and now Dog Man. Despite the stiff compeтιтion, it has maintained a strong placement, enjoying a multi-million dollar gain every weekend.

According to data provided by The Numbers, that consistency has paid off. Sonic 3 is now the second highest-grossing video game movie of all time. With $462.5 million at the box office, it now stands ahead of Detective Pikachu (2019)’s $450 million total. It is behind only The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023), which earned $1.36 billion at the box office. Considering that it is behind Super Marios by nearly $1 billion, Sonic 3 should end its run in the second-place spot.

What Sonic’s Milestone Means For Video Game Movies

Recent Years Have Proven Their Worth

This milestone is another mᴀssive step forward for video game movies. Three movies crossing $450 million worldwide is incredible after a generation of poorly received adaptations. Super Mario, Sonic 3, and Detective Pikachu stood far above previous releases. Even TV shows, including The Last of Us and Fallout, proved that faithful and successful adaptations are possible. On the big screen, however, they are becoming dominant. The chart below showcases the five top video game movies, including their domestic and international splits. Unsurprisingly, they are all recent releases:

Every single one of these movies is from the last 10 years. That comes in sharp contrast with the top box office movies of all time, which is led by Avatar (2009) at $2.9 billion. It also includes 1997’s тιтanic (1997), which earned $2.3 billion. This change is partly driven by better responses from critics and audiences. Sonic 3, for instance, has a Tomatometer score of 86% and a Popcornmeter score of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. This is a dramatic improvement over previous years and even over recent releases. Detective Pikachu, for instance, had 68% and 79% scores, respectively.

Our Take On Sonic 3’s Success

More Video Game Adaptations Could Be Coming

At the box office, 2024 was the year of adaptations, sequels, and prequels. Of the top 10 box office performers, not a single one was wholly original. With that in mind, Hollywood will likely continue to lean into established properties. Video games offer a wide world of stories to adapt. The success of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will only continue to prove that audiences are willing to engage with these beloved characters. In the coming years, more video game adaptations will likely be on the way. If their quality continues to increase, audiences should remain equally receptive.

Source: The Numbers