The movie Sonic 3 is a very, very big success. The proof: it marks a major box office record, and it’s not over.
The famous “curse of video game adaptations” certainly makes sense to people who have still not recovered from the nullity of certain cinema adaptations (Alone in the Dark, Tomb Raider, Assassin’s Creed, Double Dragon, Max Payne, Prince of Persia, Doom…you have the choice). But on the box office counters, it doesn’t really exist.
Even before the film’s mind-blowing triumph Mario (1.3 billion at the worldwide box office all the same), the first Mortal Kombat, Lara Croft : Tomb Raider, Angry Birds, le film, Pokémon Detective Pikachu or more recently Five Nights at Freddy’s proved that there was a good opportunity for the studios. The franchise Resident Evil by Paul WS Anderson remains a business model, with astonishing stability over the course of six episodes – the fall at the domestic box office having been largely made up for by the rise on the international market.
At the top of the podium, there are also films Sonic. In five years, three films and a series (l’abominable Knuckles), Sega’s superstar hedgehog franchise has become a golden goose for studio Paramount. And it’s far from over: while Sonic 4 already has a release date, Sonic 3 trace its way to the box office, and marks a record for the saga.
SONIC 3 THE KING
We will talk here about domestic box office (United States and Canada)and that is important: this is where an American studio recovers the most from box office revenue. It’s about half, while it’s more like 1/3 in foreign territories, and 1/4 in China. And the hedgehog’s third adventure is a hit in this major territory.
Sonic 3 has already cashed more than 193 million at the domestic box officethus exceeding the first Sonic (148 million) and Sonic 2 (190 million). And it’s far from over since the film holds up very welland demonstrates great enthusiasm from the American public.
Sonic 3 had however started with 60 million, below the 72 million Sonic 2. But it has remained very solid since, with a drop in attendance of -38% over its second weekend, compared to -59% for Sonic 2. And it is all the more impressive that Sonic 3 East released on significantly fewer screens than the previous part (around 3700 rooms, compared to 4200).
SONIC, SEGA’S SUPER-SAGA
In less than a month, Sonic 3 has already cashed more than 340 million at the worldwide box office. He has already passed the first Sonic (319 million), and it’s only a matter of time before it catches up Sonic 2 (405 millions).
Whatever we think of the films (at Ecran Large, we find them completely mediocre), the affair is run smoothly by Paramount, particularly in terms of budgets. 90 million for the first, 110 million for the second, a little over 120 million for the third: the studio avoids slippage and controls expenses for ensure high profitability. Which surely explains the presence of director Jeff Fowler from the start, with screenwriters Josh Miller and Pat Casey (assisted by John Witthington since Sonic 2).
Granted, it’s not as immensely profitable as the film Mario (1.3 billion at the box office for a budget of 100 million), or even the film Five Night at Freddy’s (nearly 300 million for a budget of 20 million), but it remains more than lucrative.
If a season 2 of Knuckles was not announced (please), the saga Sonic will therefore obviously continue to exploit the Sega catalog, as teased with the post-credits scene of Sonic 3. Sonic 4 will be released in 2027.
