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The “Sonic the Hedgehog” film franchise has crossed an important milestone, passing $1 billion at the worldwide box office. The achievement arrives on the heels of its third installment, “Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” which opened domestically on December 20, 2024, and went wide internationally starting December 25.
As of January 6, 2025, the estimated worldwide box office take for “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” stands at $336 million, with domestic audiences contributing about $187.5 million and international markets contributing $148.8 million. The performance has catapulted the combined box office earnings for the franchise over the $1 billion threshold.
Helmed by Jeff Fowler, who has directed all three, “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” is the further adventure of the iconic Sega video game character. The film returns with its cast, including Ben Schwartz as the voice of Sonic and Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik, while introducing Keanu Reeves as the voice of Shadow the Hedgehog, a new adversary in the series.
The first film, starting the journey, was released in February 2020 and received over $319 million globally. The sequel started running in theatres in April 2022 with even better figures than its forerunner, adding more than $405 million across the globe. These two combine to set a healthy bar for its successor’s outing.
Critical reception for “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” has been positive, with the film maintaining an 88% approval rating based on 116 reviews. Gracing the robust box office performance was also an unusually positive audience reaction.
Aside from success at the box office, the franchise has grown to include streaming platforms. “Knuckles,” the spinoff series, was launched on Paramount+ in April 2024, reaching over 11 million total global hours in its first 28 days of streaming, making it the number one Kids & Family series on the platform in terms of hours watched.
With a fourth feature already in development for the “Sonic the Hedgehog” series, Paramount Pictures confirms their confidence in the longevity of the action-comedy. Producers Neal H. Moritz and Toby Ascher said in a statement, “We make these movies for the fans; and their passion, support, and love for these characters is what drives us every day to continue creating the fast, funny, and action-packed stories that make up the ever-expanding Sonic Universe.”
The "Sonic the Hedgehog" franchise, having surpassed $1 billion in worldwide box office sales, underlines its position as a serious player within the video game adaptation genre-a fact that reflects both its dedicated fan base and its broadening appeal to general audiences.
