It’s weird how, after Barbieheimer, we can’t help but notice the bizarre box-office bouts scheduled for this year. Sure, the strikes had something to do with it, but we wonder if the fight-like narrative finally breached the walls of the public consciousness, and now everything is a contest. Last weekend was the equivalent of the Tyson vs. Paul fight — Wicked won handily, though Gladiator II didn’t look as old as Iron Mike — and the next big one is coming up at the end of December. That’s when Mufasa: The Lion King will go up against Sonic the Hedgehog 3 in a battle for who can get the attention of more children and, in turn, their parents.
Will it be the reliable, family-friendly choice (albeit without Elton or Bernie) or the new-fangled, not-horrible video game adaptation? Either way, only one of these movies has Keanu Reeves in it, so you know what we’re rooting for. Paramount dropped the latest trailer for the flick earlier on Monday, presumably to soak up some of that Moana 2 attention later this week.
Peep it:
Here’s a synopsis:
‘Sonic the Hedgehog returns to the big screen this holiday season in his most thrilling adventure yet. Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails reunite against a powerful new adversary, Shadow, a mysterious villain with powers unlike anything they have faced before. With their abilities outmatched in every way, Team Sonic must seek out an unlikely alliance in hopes of stopping Shadow and protecting the planet.”
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 hits theaters on December 20. The whole family might have holiday fun, but not us. We’re considering staging a protest because we’re still upset they didn’t keep the original Sonic design. Could you imagine what Tails would have looked like? Knuckles? Shadow? Generations of children could have been scarred by the image of a Hedgehog with fucking human teeth.