Sonic Movie
How much power does social media have? This question has been asked for many years, ever since the founding of large social media sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and Instagram. In the year 2020, there was one instance that saw the influence of social media and pop culture take center stage. I believe we all remember this time; major celebrity deaths, bushfires in Australia, and even a swarm of so-called "murder hornets" hitting the U.S. were just a few of the year's crises. This one instance was one of the bright spots in the chaos of 2020, which came from a blue hedgehog and showcased the power of meme culture with its amplification of voices in the social media landscape.
The original Sonic design was horrifying and unattractive. Human-like proportions, realistic fur, and teeth completely contradicted what made Sonic, Sonic. It clashed with Sonic's core value and appeal: a blue, super-sonic video game hedgehog that quips like your friendly neighborhood Spiderman.
Nevertheless, Sonic's fanbase—and even regular moviegoers—were not pleased with his design. A wave of backlash hit the producers and animators, demanding changes. Fans bombarded them with comments, with some asking, "Is it possible to unsee a movie trailer?" Others tweeted, "Good morning to everyone and everything other than the live-action Sonic the Hedgehog’s creepy human teeth," and "WHY ARE HIS TEETH SO HUMAN?"
Following the intense backlash and widespread criticism, the team behind the movie decided to postpone its release to redesign Sonic in response to the fans' demands.
This was seen as a triumph for fan culture, highlighting the power of the meme and fan criticism in amplifying collective discontent and serving as a form of public protest. It felt almost like a rebellion going up against the dark side in Star Wars, a seemingly tough battle against a corporation such as Paramount Pictures that has, in the past, not given in to the idea of supporting fan criticism (movies such as Transformer’s directed by Michael Bay and Star Trek were criticized for plot points and characters, even after fans wanted a change.)
These battles support the idea of democratization in this vastly digital world, where public opinion can reach a boiling point higher than ever before, causing shifts in the entertainment industry and even on a global scale. This democratization, while not solely driven by Sonic the Hedgehog, was evident in other social media movements, such as the #MeToo Movement and the Arab Spring. Even today, we see movements to cancel celebrities on Twitter or intense backlash against YouTube’s copyright system, which forces them to change into either something better- or far worse. But how will altering fan criticism and social backlash against corporations—who often don't seek fan approval—affect other properties moving forward? How will corporations handle public approval of their media?
While it is a big question considering the VAST amount of new digital properties and a new streaming service every week (do we really need to have more than one?) the key takeaway is that moviegoers will no longer be passive consumers. They won't sit idly by as fan-favorite designs and themes are altered. Companies will have to consider fans' input, as they are the ones driving community engagement and fostering the loyal fanbase that movie properties need. If there is no consideration, then who will go to these movies? Perhaps a family or two will go on the basis a trailer hooks them in, only to throw them out like used garbage after watching, well, garbage.
Movie-goers have been given the power to make changes in the entertainment industry unlike ever before, and the Sonic redesign is just one of many instances showing how important fan loyalty and internet culture have become.
10/30/24, c.pyle