SEGA, WildBrain, and the streaming giant join forces to unleash the ‘Blue Blur,’ placing the fate of a new multiverse in his gloved hands; the ‘Sonic’ franchise celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.
A brand-new animated Sonic the Hedgehog series, Sonic Prime, is in development, set to premiere worldwide on Netflix in 2022. The 24-episode animated adventure features the “Blue Blur” of video game fame, who has the fate of a strange new multiverse resting in his gloved hands. Sonic’s adventure is about more than a race to save the universe; it is a journey of self-discovery and redemption. The announcement was made by Netflix, SEGA of America, Inc., and WildBrain.
The series will be animated at WildBrain’s Vancouver studio; SEGA and WildBrain will jointly participate across production, distribution, and licensing. Man of Action Entertainment, creators of Ben 10 and the characters and team in the Academy Award-winning feature Big Hero 6, have been brought on as showrunners and executive producers for the series.
“Sonic is a beloved character and holds a special place in everyone's heart including my own,” commented Netflix director of original animation, Dominique Bazay. “I spent many hours with the blue blur as a kid and it's a privilege to be able to bring this character everyone knows and loves on a brand-new adventure with Netflix -- one that a generation of loyal fans and brand-new fans around the world can enjoy.”
“Sonic the Hedgehog is a global entertainment icon that has captivated audiences since its video game debut in 1991,” noted SEGA chief brand officer Ivo Gerscovich. “With over 1.14 billion game units sold and downloaded to date, an exciting feature film, a robust licensing program and more, SEGA’s iconic hedgehog continues to surprise and delight audiences worldwide. We’re thrilled to partner with WildBrain, Man of Action Entertainment, and Netflix to speed into this new, animated chapter in the Sonic franchise.”
“With generations of devoted fans around the world, Sonic the Hedgehog is more popular today than ever before, and we’re thrilled to be partnering with Netflix, SEGA, and Man of Action to deliver all new Sonic adventures for audiences worldwide,” added Wildbrain president Josh Scherba. “This premium franchise is ideally suited to WildBrain’s capabilities and it’s already inspiring great things from our talented creative teams. We’ve witnessed first-hand the enduring popularity of this brand from the strong and steady global demand for our library of legacy Sonic series. We look forward now to bringing fresh and exciting Sonic content to fans both new and old.”
Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2021, and with the creation of Sonic Prime, the franchise aims to captivate the imaginations of audiences ages six to 11, as well as legacy Sonic fans of all ages. In 2020, the theatrical feature Sonic the Hedgehog, took the number one spot worldwide on opening weekend and remained on top globally for weeks while breaking domestic box office records. Producers SEGA Sammy and Paramount Pictures have announced a sequel to the feature is in development.
Source: Netflix
