SONIC THE HEDGEHOG Director Jeff Fowler Expresses Excitement For Sonic/Tails Team-Up In The Sequel

In a new interview, Sonic the Hedgehog director Jeff Fowler has shared his excitement for what could come next after the first movie's post-credits scene introduced a live-action version of Tails...

By JoshWilding - Apr 14, 2020 04:04 AM EST

Filed Under: Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog's theaterical run was cut short thanks to COVID-19, but the movie was still a box office hit, and well-received by critics and moviegoers alike. Doing the rounds to promote the Digital release of the film, director Jeff Fowler told SYFY Wire that he was surprised by the response to the post-credits scene which included an unexpected appearance from Tails.

That was clearly meant to set the stage for a sequel, and while Paramount Pictures have yet to confirm plans for another movie, it would be shocking for one not to become a reality at this point.

"Of all the screenings that I would pop in for, seeing people's reaction to Tails showing up at the end, nothing could have prepared me," Fowler explained. "To see people respond and having these kids just shout at the screen, and just yell their little brains out. I just never got sick of it."

"I just loved it," he continued. "And the idea that we made this whole movie, and we didn't have a single scene of Sonic and Tails together. It's incredible, but it also is so exciting [for a sequel]."

It's definitely hard not to get excited about the prospect of these characters sharing the big screen, and fans are already mulling over the possibility of throwing Knuckles into the mix. That could be a little too ambitious for the follow-up, of course, but the possibilities are endless right now.

What would you guys like to see in Sonic the Hedgehog 2?

Click on the "Next" button below to check out some
of the first movie's biggest and best Easter Eggs!

Some Familiar Villains

The movie kicks off in Sonic's home, a land that's clearly based on the Green Hills Zone from the original video game. However, his peaceful life doesn't last long as a group known as the Echidnas soon attack. It's important to note that Knuckles was a member of the Echidna Clan, but the group here seem to be based on the Nocturnus Clan.

They rule over a realm called the Twilight Cage and have some pretty nefarious plans for Earth.

Why they want Sonic is hard to say, but if we had to hazard a guess, they would certainly make a pretty fitting choice of villains in the sequel (especially if they're looking to steal those rings).

The Flash Comic Books

Sonic has a lot of cool hobbies, and seems to be fascinated (understandably so) with speed. As a result, it's hardly a surprise that he's shown reading comic books featuring The Flash!

DC Comics' Scarlet Speedster is a much more fitting choice than Quicksilver - that pile of comics would be pretty small if Sonic was only reading his solo adventures - and it's easy to see why Sonic would be a fan. Perhaps most surprising is that Warner Bros. happily greenlit this particular reference.

Sonic's Race Car Bed

The movie ends with Sonic being asked to live with Tom and Maddie, and they present the hero with his own bedroom in their loft. Look closely during that sequence, and you'll notice that they've got him a race car shaped bed, something which you might dismiss as a nod to the aforementioned racing games the SEGA character has starred in over the years.

While that's entirely possible, this is more likely a hat tip to the Sonic the Hedgehog comic book series which also used to see Sonic kick back and take some naps in a bed shaped like that!

"Sanic"

Sonic has become something of an urban myth in his home of Green Hills on Earth and only one of the town's residents believes he's real (mostly because the speedster enjoys toying with him).

That's "Crazy Carl," and a drawing he's done of Sonic looks eerily familiar. That's because it's based on that weird Sanic the Hedgehog meme which was started after YouTuber 0nyxheart uploaded his drawing a decade ago. It's an unexpected nod, but one meme lovers will appreciate.

Oh, and that "Blue Devil" nickmane is likely a reference to the car he drives in those racing games.

A Familiar Logo

While Sonic is hanging out in his cave, he plays around with some nunchuks and dons a headband.

Well, look closely at that and you'll notice that it's emblazoned with the character's classic logo...the only thing that's missing is Sonic himself! This is a fun throwback to his video games, but another comes in a slightly less obvious fashion which is definitely a highlight here.

While the gold rings in this movie are used to travel between worlds and locations, almost every time Sonic is hit, he drops them and that's a nod to what happens in the games.

The Chaos Emerald

Before seemingly being killed by the Nocturnus Clan, Longclaw gives Sonic a map directing him to Earth and that mushroom planet (which is another level from the games).

However, look closely at that and you'll notice a mention of the Chaos Emerald.

That mystical gem - and the seven others like it - have played a huge role in the video games, and they've since become the franchise's go-to MacGuffins. It's possible this reference will pay off in the sequel as this might be another reason that Clan was targeting Sonic.

"BADNIKS"

By the time the post-credits scene rolls around, Dr. Robotnik has become the "Eggman" we know and hate from the video games. However, there are some early hints about his transformation.

After the power surge which shuts his ride down, Robotnik searches for a control panel to reboot the system, and a label can be seen which says "BADNIKS" on it. That's a reference to Eggman's original robots, and quite possibly something we can look forward to seeing in the sequel.

Sonic's Love Of Chilli Dogs

This is a fun one.

Sonic is show to be a huge fan of chilli dogs in this movie, and that's another concept which was introduced in the Archie Comics Sonic the Hedgehog series. Later, that was added to the animated series as well, and both Sonic and Tails would frequently eat them...and nothing else!

Added to the video game franchise with Sonic Unleashed, they've stuck around ever since.

A Familiar Animation

If you've played enough Sonic video games, then you'll know that the speedster's "idle animation" is him putting his hands on his hips and tapping his foot impatiently.

Well, when time slows down around the iconic video game character as Robotnik shoots those missiles at him, Sonic recreates that exact same animation from the games.

Tails

Sonic the Hedgehog is an absolute blast, but the movie definitely would have benefited from spending a little more time on the hero's homeworld. Thankfully, it looks like that could be a strong possibility in the sequel because the post-credits scene introduces us to beloved icon, Tails.

Armed with a tracking device, he seemingly wants to bring Sonic home and is shown using his familiar flying power thanks to the tail he can spin around exactly like a helicopter. It's an awesome visual nod to the games and it's clear now that Tails will be a key player in the eventual follow-up.

Product Placement

Sonic's sneakers may look like they've been lifted straight from the games, but when Tom's niece presents them to him, you'll see that they boast tiny Puma tabs. Before the character was redesigned, he was going to wear actual Puma sneakers which can presumably be bought in stores.

There's a lot of product placement in the movie, though, including frequent mentions of Olive Garden!

"Gotta Go Fast!"

As you might expect, Sonic's iconic catchphrase finds its way into the movie when he's woken up by Tom's wife with smelling salts. It's a fun nod to the games and a clever way of including it.

Equally as fun is seeing Sonic perform a patented spin dash in the movie while he's facing off with some of Robotnik's creations during that standout chase with Tom on the highway.

KNUCKLES: Paramount+ SONIC Spin-Off Hits Rotten Tomatoes; New Clips Released

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10 Comments

bkmeijer2 - 4/14/2020, 4:22 AM

I really wonder what Tails looked like before they redesigned Sonic (assuming Tails looked weird in the first place too)

Nebula - 4/14/2020, 7:06 AM

@MalseMarcel - Tyson Hesse has actually revealed that they never went as far as to put him together. It was just a placeholder model in the post-credits scene.

Ha1frican - 4/14/2020, 6:54 AM

I was surprised by how good this movie actually was. It definitely had cringey moments and maybe my expectations were just super low but I actually really enjoyed it. I’m interested in the sequel for sure, I want to see Knuckles and Shadow in the future

Tasmaniac - 4/14/2020, 8:07 AM

I watched this yesterday with my 2 daughters. They loved it. Ok, ok, I did too 💪🏻 So many memories ☺️

I played Sonic 1 & 2 SO much when I was younger. My best mate took on a guy at our local game rental store Sonic 2 competition final who had taken out 4th spot in Australia in an official SEGA championship for the original Sonic a year or 2 before. We had worked out how to get a perfect ring bonus in the first 2 levels - no one in the store had ever seen it before, you should have seen their jaws drop - It was hilarious! And my mate ended up beating the guy - he was so pissed 😂