Sonic the Hedgehog set the stage for a whole series of movies, and there was a lot that was missing from the excellent first instalment which we'll no doubt see touched on in possible sequels.
Now, director Jeff Fowler has confirmed that the speedster nearly entered his "Super Sonic" form in an earlier draft of the screenplay. He ultimately decided not to head down that route, and it sounds like it's something he would rather delve into once its been earned in this franchise.
"It didn't make sense to obviously bring in the Super Sonic thing just yet," Fowler reveals "I mean, there were very early versions of the script and the outlines where... because we knew that's something that's very important in the fan mythology, or the mythology that fans love. And Chaos Emeralds are definitely a huge part, even going back to the first game in '91, and it was definitely something that we were kind of trying to see. Like, 'Does it make sense to include one of these?'"
"But again, just going back to what I said about the simplicity of it and just for the sake of just really starting from the simplest version and not trying to do too much, it just felt like, 'Let's just... let's do the origins as Sonic and Robotnik and try to nail those characters before we potentially would open it up to some of these elements from the games that fans know and love," he concluded.
It was in the 1992 Sega Genesis video game Sonic the Hedgehog 2 that the hero first gained the ability to transform into a yellow, "Super" version of himself, but seeing as the Chaos Emeralds were only hinted at in this movie, it really didn't make sense to delve into that quite yet.
Would you guys like to see this version of Sonic on screen in the not too distant future?
Hit the "Next" button below to take a look at the best
Easter Eggs, references, and cameos in the movie!
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.