GoKawiilSega's Sonic franchise nearly cancelled before 2020 movie revived it, says franchise boss
Sonic the Hedgehog series boss Takashi Iizuka told Tokyo Game Show attendees that Sega executives once wanted to cancel the entire Sonic franchise, and that he had to fight internally to keep it alive. He credited the 2020 live-action film, whose character redesign followed fan backlash, with proving continued demand and enabling sequels; the franchise has since sold over 1.5 billion copies worldwide.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Iizuka's account suggests a single film's box-office performance ($320 million) can determine whether a decades-old franchise survives internal corporate skepticism, which underscores how fragile even iconic IP can be within large companies. The comparison to Mario's rocky 1993 live-action film implies that Nintendo's own long-term strategy, including 2023's blockbuster Super Mario Bros. Movie, could have unfolded differently had Sonic's gamble failed.
- Sega executives reportedly considered cancelling the Sonic franchise entirely before 2020.
- The 2020 Sonic movie's redesigned character followed fan backlash and grossed $320 million, aiding sequels.
- Sonic games have sold over 1.5 billion copies worldwide to date, per franchise boss Takashi Iizuka.
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Published there as: “Sega nearly killed Sonic before the movies revived the franchise”
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