Sonic the Hedgehog trailer worse than being punched by Knuckles the Echidna

Image credit: Paramount Pictures

After months of leaked images and poster reveals, Paramount Pictures has finally released the first official trailer for its upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog movie, and boy, it won't do much to dispel fans' fears.

The most obviously worrying element is the film's grotesque Sonic design, which inexplicably aims for a modicum of bizarre realism (wtf is with his very human teeth?) while still looking to keep its titular character cartoonish, leading to an end result that seems more like an off-brand 'blue hedgehog' Halloween costume than it does Sega's beloved mascot. 

Next, we have a baffling story that sees Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) attempting to save Earth from the evil Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey), who plans to capture our speedy blue protagonist and use his powers to take over the world (leading us to wonder why Sonic is on our planet in the first place). 

To do this, Sonic must team up with a cop (Westworld's James Marsden) from the rural town of Green Hill (as in Green Hill Zone, get it?), presumedly leading to hilarious* hijinx and misadventures.

Bewilderingly scored to Coolio's 'Gangsta's Paradise', the trailer features numerous attempts at comedy, only one of which actually lands in any capacity (bold choice to go with a kidnapping joke in a kids movie). Surprisingly, comedy legend Jim Carrey proves to be the least funny of them all. 

You can check out the full trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog at your peril below, and then avoid anything even remotely resembling a movie theater when the film releases on November 8, 2019.

*Hilarity not guaranteed.

Stephen Lambrechts
Senior Journalist, Phones and Entertainment

Stephen primarily covers phones and entertainment for TechRadar's Australian team, and has written professionally across the categories of tech, film, television and gaming in both print and online for over a decade. He's obsessed with smartphones, televisions, consoles and gaming PCs, and has a deep-seated desire to consume all forms of media at the highest quality possible. 


He's also likely to talk a person’s ear off at the mere mention of Android, cats, retro sneaker releases, travelling and physical media, such as vinyl and boutique Blu-ray releases. Right now, he's most excited about QD-OLED technology, The Batman and Hellblade 2: Senua's Saga.