Life seems to move at the speed of light sometimes, and major blockbuster franchises are known to keep a pretty brisk pace themselves. Not too long after it was announced that Sonic The Hedgehog 2 started production, we’ve gotten word that director Jeff Fowler has wrapped production on the next installment of Sega’s surprise smash. And the fact that he’s shared a photo on the mushroom planet that ended the first film, has me absolutely pumped for the sequel.
Through his official Twitter presence, Fowler announced that production on Sonic The Hedgehog 2 has wrapped in Vancouver. But he didn’t just say, "Good job everyone, see you in theaters in 2022," and leave for the day. No, Jeff Fowler showed off some of that lush vegetation on the mushroom planet that Jim Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik found himself exiled to at the end of Sonic The Hedgehog. And with that visual came a nice and teasing message on what we could expect in the sequel:
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 was always going to be special, as the Ben Schwartz/James Marsden buddy comedy that released into theaters in 2020 turned out to be an impressive, heartwarming spectacle. But as a lot of fans can tell you, it was a mostly earthbound affair, with only hints of the dimensions and locales that Sonic The Hedgehog has come to include. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though, as the end of that first movie teased Dr. Robotnik’s time on what’s presumed to be the Mushroom Hill Zone from Sonic and Knuckles, as well as the arrival of Sonic’s best bud, Miles “Tails” Prower.
Jeff Fowler’s claim of an “epic” sequel is all I need to read in order to know that in Sonic The Hedgehog 2, things are about to get interdimensional. The worlds that Sonic quickly flashed to audiences, through his map of safe and not so safe zones, are now open for business, and anything is possible. Of course, he’ll have to fight his way through the returning Robotnik, and whatever dangers he brings with him in this epic follow-up.
Though Dr. Robotnik promised to be home by Christmas, one could forgive him and Sonic The Hedgehog 2 for slating the franchise’s return on April 8, 2022. It’s a lot faster than anyone expected a Sonic sequel to happen, so if anything, it proves that Paramount wants to give the world more of their favorite hedgehog. And with the news that Knuckles was spotted on set, I don’t think I’d want to wait much longer to see what’s next either, as it’s already bad enough we don’t know who’s voicing him, but why it should be Dwayne Johnson.
