Sonic the Hedgehog movie announced, CG/live-action

[Elija2]

Source

Sony and producer Neal Moritz are bringing the best-selling Sega video game Sonic the Hedgehog to the big screen.

The studio is teaming with Marza Animation Planet, a CG animation film-production company based in Japan and a division of the Sega Sammy Group, to make a hybrid CG-animated/live-action feature.

Upright Citizens Brigade alums Evan Susser and Van Robichaux are writing the screenplay, which will follow the antics of Sonic, the world's fastest hedgehog. The film will also feature some of the franchise's favorite characters including the evil Dr. Eggman.

Who thought that including live-action was a good idea? Why couldn't they just make a fully animated movie? What's funny is that they compare it to the Smurfs movies, which are awful. I don't have high hopes for this movie.

[TheGameNinja]

I doubt it will even make it to casting.

[SmashFinale]

...
I literally can't think of anything to say about this that would accurately express my opinion on this enough.

[Hakudamashi]

I have the right to remain skeptical

[Shilz]

If this is done anything like the original Spider-man series, this will be successful.

[JustAnotherGamer]

The soon-to-be newest installment of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise will be released in the U.S. this October in the form of a CGI animation. But wait... Not only is that BEFORE the video games are released, but it is to be aired on Cartoon Network.

So?

Well, I see this going down one route or the other:

1) About a month before it starts airing, Cartoon Network will cram an ad for Sonic Boom in every commercial break. New episodes will be aired during the "Primetime" for Cartoon Network, and they'll re-run the episodes like they do with all those other shows they have on that channel.

2) Cartoon Network doesn't do much self promotion, and they don't air new or old episodes in the busier time of day.

It seems more likely Cartoon Network will promote and milk this deal as much as they can until the contract runs out, but I have no idea how the actual success of the series will work out.

Now, to the actual purpose of this post!

The popularity of video games among the audience Cartoon Network has is probably very high, considering every kid aged 7+ usually has their own console nowadays.

Now despite what you think, Sonic the Hedgehog has had a major downfall in popularity over the past ten years. SEGA hasn't developed a console since 1998, (I think this is correct, sorry if I'm wrong.) and they made the transition to a third-party developer. While SEGA is still in business with a billion dollar franchise in their hands, they've done little advertising and promotion.

But I think they have some sort of marketing plan.

1) Sonic Boom animation starts airing on Cartoon Network.
2) Sales on Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal and that 3DS release are higher than previous releases due to the television attracting a bigger audience.
3) The animation continues to produce episodes for about a year, and by next fall the last episodes will air.
4) Sony Pictures meanwhile finishes the Sonic the Hedgehog Movie, immediately gathering a huge audience because of the TV show.
5) SEGA releases their next Sonic title after the movie is released.

While I know the movie isn't going to be based on Sonic Boom, It's still Sonic in popular media. I seem to believe if Sonic Boom, the show and the game, do really well, then Sonic will immediately get a media slingshot due to the fact kids will start to recognize him more and more simply because of the persistent self promotion. I mean, look at the order of these releases:

Sonic Boom: The TV Series - October 2014 - 52 Episodes (One a week, and that's a whole year.)
Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal - November 2014
Sonic the Hedgehog Movie by Sony Pictures - Most likely to release late 2015... Right when Sonic Boom finishes!
Sega releases annual Sonic the Hedgehog title - Late 2015

This has just been on my mind recently. Sorry for making it an extra long post.

[Hakudamashi]

It would help if the show doesn't suck ass with it's stupid "The universe will reset every episode" bullshit.