'Sonic the Hedgehog 2' Interviews: The Cast Celebrates Becoming the Highest Grossing Video Game Film
Stars Lee Majdoub, Colleen O’Shaughnessey and director Jeff Fowler reflect on how Sonic 2 became the success story it is, while the film comes to Paramount+
When a little blue hedgehog debuted in the summer of 1991, it might be a safe assumption that no one knew how big a property he would become. For the next three decades, Sonic would spawn television shows, a long series of games, and now two feature films under his belt. In fact, the recently released Sonic the Hedgehog 2, which can now be seen at home on Paramount+, is the highest grossing video game adaptation of all time. No small feat considering how many video game properties have made their way to the big screen.
Director Jeff Fowler, who beforehand predominantly worked in animation and only had one short film under his belt before helming the original Sonic knows just how much work it was, but also seemingly knows the key to Sonic’s success. “It begins and ends with character. it's really about giving the audience a reason to root for Sonic, to be invested in him emotionally, for every step of the journey”. Fowler recognizes that most video game movies fall short of that because of this strange preconception about what the movie should be about, or how it can attract the gamers who played to sit and watch a cinematic version. “It’s a dilemma. But it's like all movies. Your enjoyment of that film really comes down to [being] into these characters. Are you worried for them? Are you excited for them? Are you rooting for them? And I think if you have that, then that's the secret. That's the trick”.
Fowler (left), O’Shaughnessey (center), and Majdoub (right) at the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 premiere.
Fowler also addresses some of the concerns coming into the first film that were either laid to rest, or were worked on diligently to make the films better. Yes, one of those concerns is the infamous ‘Ugly Sonic’; a human-hybrid CG creature with just enough human teeth to enter your nightmares. Fowler, with his animation background brushes it off as if the major character design changes wasn’t a big deal. “it was actually very simple. It really was just ‘okay, like, we got this wrong, and we got to fix it’. It was very clear what the reaction was. Rather than spend any time debating it, let's let's figure out how to how to make a change because fans didn't recognize Sonic as the character they loved, and that was a huge problem”
One of the major strengths of the sequel, is not only the returning cast members, such as Ben Schwartz voicing Sonic, but giving those aforementioned fans even more of what they knew and loved with the vocal talents of Colleen O’Shaughnessey, who has voiced ‘Tails’, Sonic’s right hand Fox for almost a decade now in games and television. Having seen Tails grow and evolved in different media, but also having witnessed the evolution of Sonic, Colleen recognizes how it’s been popular over these many years. “I think kids can relate to [Sonic] because he's like a kid himself. What kid doesn't want to have super-speed and be able to get around the bases really fast? He's funny, he's quirky, he's really just a big kid himself. So I think kids can absolutely relate to him, for sure, and Tails too, he's everybody's best little buddy.”
Carrey (left) as Dr Robotnik, and Majdoub (right) as Agent Stone
So what does the future hold for the franchise? Sonic 3 seems like a certainty, and it looks more than likely that all fan favorite characters will return, but what of Canadian national treasure Jim Carrey and his recent announcement of retiring from acting? When asked how he could possibly imagine replacing Carrey, Fowler simply stated “I wouldn't even try”. Fowler elaborated that he’s fully prepared to call Carrey and “text him every day for the rest of his life to make sure that he's back. He just means so much to these movies and so much to the fans. So I would not ever let him go without a fight”.
Carrey’s costar, the latte maestro better known as ‘Agent Stone’, Lee Majdoub also knows there is no Sonic 3 without Carrey. Majdoub felt his fellow Canadian was so integral to Robotnik, the role Carrey created made Majdoub revert to his childhood, playing the games on the Sega Genesis, combing both the old and the new into the perfect ‘Eggman’.
With the success of Sonic 2, the completion of the trilogy seems like an absolute inevitability. In the meantime, families can enjoy all the adventure of the second instalment of that little blue hedgehog, and you can enjoy the series of interviews with O’Shaughnessey, Majdoub and Fowler to celebrate the film and its accomplishments.
Check out the interviews with O’Shaughnessey, Majdoub and Fowler, below:
