Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has finally hit cinemas. With a featurette out, along with a couple of other trailers, we have a decent idea of what to expect from this cute (and goofy) sequel to Sonic the Hedgehog.
The creatively named Sonic the Hedgehog 2 comes to us, as I said, following the success of the 2020 movie featuring the blue blur and the arguably hot Dr. Robotnik. Of course being received well across the board would mean the movie is entitled to a sequel, which was confirmed shortly after the release of the movie.
Everything we know about Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Obviously, we know that Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will be named as such with no alternate heading (like The Matrix 4 actually being The Matrix Resurrections). We also know that it will feature more characters from the original Sonic games, like Tails and Knuckles. We know when it will be out and we know what to kind-of expect thanks to some trailers and a new poster that pays homage to the game of the same name (Sonic 2) telling us that the flick will (we hope) mirror the game at least in spirit (looking at you, Uncharted).
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 release date
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is spin-dashing into Australian theatres today, March 31, 2022. Keep in mind that, like with most movies released over the 2021 and 2022 period, there’s a chance that this could be delayed. But it’s now March 29 and we have no change, so keep those fingers crossed.
And the official synopsis
“After settling in Green Hills, Sonic is ready for more freedom, and Tom and Maddie agree to leave him home while they go on vacation. But, no sooner are they gone, when Dr. Robotnik comes back, this time with a new partner, Knuckles, in search for an emerald that has the power to both build and destroy civilisations. Sonic teams up with his own sidekick, Tails, and together they embark on a journey to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands.”
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 trailers
Here’s the featurette released on March 29, just before the film debuted.
Here’s the trailer that was released during The Game Awards 2021.
And the final trailer:
Filled with the same goofy kid-friendly antics of the first film, Sonic has moved past his origin story and is ready to take on Dr Robotnik, his robots and whatever evil punches Knuckles is going to throw his way. The trailer shows Sonic struggling to be a hero, constantly getting in over his head while delivering one-liners that feel primed for the adults who will surely be dragged to this film by their children.
Let’s get hyped about Sonic the Hedgehog 2!
The very Sonic 2 Sonic 2 poster
The latest poster for Sonic the Hedgehog 2 looks very much like the poster for the Sonic 2 game. See for yourself:
What’s the story?
We dropped the official synopsis up there, but here’s a little bit more context.
Set after the original Sonic movie where everyone’s favourite blue hedgehog saved the world from the evil Dr. Robotnik (played by Jim Carey), Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) has taken to being a superhero-like vigilante, fighting bad guys at night, chowing down on Chilli Dogs and making mistakes along the way (being “sloppy” by pipe-bombing the sewer of a city street).
Amidst all of that, Sonic’s human friend Tom Wachowski (played by James Marsden) tells Sonic that his time will come – and it looks like his time is now, given what… Entails with the rest of the trailer.
Dr. Robotnik is back, baby. Likely the source of a green and grey energy-storm-tornado-thing and returning to earth in an egg-shaped pod from a space station, the classic Sonic villain has returned with a whole manner of deadly inventions and rockets, along with a newfound source of ultimate power – a chaos emerald.
For those playing at home, chaos emeralds are the most powerful things in the videogame universe of Sonic. They form a lot of the plot points in the original games, including as collectibles in secret zones. What chaos the gem in the movie will cause, we’ll have to wait and see.
Now, onto Tails (voiced by Colleen O’Shaughnessey) and Knuckles (Voiced by Idris Elba). These two iconic characters from the original sonic games will be making an appearance in the film, with Tails being a lovely lighthearted sidekick to Sonic and Knuckles being a brooding and strong antagonist. We might see him come around in the movie, but we don’t know yet.
It looks like Tails will be helping Sonic beat Dr. Robotnik in this one, while Knuckles will be working with Dr. Robotnik, at least from what we’ve gathered from the trailer.
There’s not a lot that Sonic 2 can do to make this film less campy, and it appears that this time they’re going all in. In an interview a few months back, Idris Elba said that he wouldn’t make Knuckles sound ‘sexy’. An odd thing to say about a red echidna, but we’ll go with it.
Should I watch Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) before Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)?
I wouldn’t call it essential viewing, but you’d probably be better off watching the first one before going into the second. The plot of the original movie is pretty easy to write off, but it’s a fun ride, so if you’re unsure if you’d like Sonic the Hedgehog 2, maybe give the first flick a go.
If you’re a Sonic superfan, definitely watch the first one, but if you’re not really committed to Sonic in any way, you won’t feel too out of your depth watching the second one, at least at first glance.
Oh, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has already been booked, so there’s that.
This article has been updated since it was first published. While you’re here, why not check out every other major sci-fi, fantasy and horror flick set to release in 2022.