‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’ Rumored to Stream on Paramount+ Sooner Than You Think
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 could be making its way to Paramount+ with lightning speed. According to a new rumor, the video game movie sequel might appear on Paramount’s streaming service within the next month — just weeks after its theatrical release. The rumor comes as Sonic the Hedgehog 2‘s box office success continues, having just become the highest-grossing video game movie in the U.S. Here’s what we know about its path to streaming.
‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’ has become the highest-grossing video game movie domestically
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was released in theaters on April 8, 2022. It had a record-breaking opening weekend for a video game movie with $71 million, according to Axios. That means the sequel topped its predecessor, which came out in 2020, as the biggest video game movie opening in history.
But Sonic the Hedgehog 2‘s rise to the top didn’t stop there — since its theatrical debut, the film has grossed $147 million (as of April 28). It’s now the highest-grossing video game movie in U.S. box office history, which comes as an incredible feat given the poor luck many video game adaptations have seen in the past. Again, it has surpassed the original Sonic the Hedgehog adaptation, which made $146 million domestically (via PC Gamer).
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 sees the titular blue hero (voiced by Ben Schwartz) face off against the evil Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) once again. However, this time, Robotnik has called in Knuckles the Echidna (Idris Elba) to become Sonic’s worthy opponent. In order to defeat the evil team, Sonic needs help from his friend, Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey). Can they stop Robotnik and Knuckles from finding the reality-bending Master Emerald?
A new rumor suggests ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’ could stream on Paramount+ in late May, just 6 weeks after release
According to a Twitter account that regularly shares SEGA news, @SEGAbits, Paramount+ plans to add Sonic the Hedgehog 2 to its library on May 24, 2022. That would bring it just outside of Paramount’s 45-day theatrical exclusivity window (May 23). However, it’s important to note that Paramount itself has yet to confirm Sonic 2‘s streaming date, so fans shouldn’t lock into that date just yet.
That may seem fast for a movie to jump to streaming, but Paramount+ has done it before. As CNET notes, Jackass Forever hit Paramount+ exactly 45 days after it was released in theaters. On the other hand, Scream took an extra week or so to make the move.
But don’t worry, even if Sonic 2 does arrive on Paramount+ next month, theater lovers will still likely be able to watch it on the big screen for a while. And those who still need to watch Sonic the Hedgehog 1 can catch it on Paramount+ right now.
The Sonic Cinematic Universe will continue to grow
The Sonic adaptations won’t end here. Paramount has already announced Sonic the Hedgehog 3, as well as a spinoff series focusing on Knuckles for Paramount+. There could be even more adaptations planned for the future, as the film producers have expressed interest in creating a Sonic Cinematic Universe.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is now playing in theaters. Stay tuned to Showbiz Cheat Sheet for more updates on its Paramount+ streaming date.