Sonic the Hedgehog 2 film beats predecessor, speeding to $331.6M at the box office

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Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has beat the original film by scoring $331.64 million at the global box office. That makes it the most successful video game adaptation of all time.

That’s a strong result for the movie, which debuted on April 8 in the U.S. and on March 31 outside the U.S. That’s good news for Sega, which owns the Sonic game franchise and co-produced the movie with Paramount Pictures. The earlier film hit $319.71 million after opening in 2020.

Based on the global blockbuster videogame franchise from SEGA, the Sonic the Hedgehog film series tells the story of the world’s fastest hedgehog as he embraces his new home on Earth.

The film also been a hit around the world, debuted at No. 1 in 47 markets, including the U.K., France, Australia, and other countries, as well as strong sales in Mexico and Brazil.

The film’s U.S. box office gross topped $162.74 million, surpassing the previous film’s $148.97 million, breaking the previous record for the top-grossing video game-based film adaptation of all time. It also recorded $168.9 million internationally and has reached $331.64 million worldwide, surpassing its predecessor.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is coming to Japan on August 19. Directed by Jeff Fowler, the film’s cast included James Marsden, Ben Schwartz, Tika Sumpter, and Natasha Rothwell.

Since the 1991 release of the first Sonic the Hedgehog game, the Sonic series has gained worldwide popularity, with SEGA producing 1.38 billion units of the series to date. In addition to games, SEGA is developing a variety of initiatives globally, including movies, animation, music, and merchandising. The next film is expected in 2023 or later.