Sonic’s journey from video game to blockbuster film should have been straightforward.

From Sega’s fierce rivalry with Nintendo, to the chaotic path of bringing Sonic to life on the big screen, there are more twists and turns in this story than Green Hill Zone.

Sega’s quest for a mascot that could rival Mario led to the creation of Sonic the Hedgehog, but several attempts to make a movie fell at the first, second, third and fourth hurdles. Finally, after Sony put their project into turnaround, Paramount Pictures sped in and Sonic's new design was finally launched!

The muscular legs, the fur, the gloveless hands, the human teeth!

The fan criticism and backlash to Sonic's design was unprecedented, but so was what happened next...

The uproar from fans was the catalyst for a superfast redesign, that not only respected the character’s legacy, but made him relatable to new audiences. Sonic’s evolution and the importance of fan engagement shaped the movie, leading it to become a beloved franchise.

God bless Ugly Sonic!

Ken Pender's pitch for Sonic Armageddon

I would love to hear your thoughts on Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) !

Verbal Diorama is now an award-winning podcast! I won the Best Movie Podcast in the inaugural Ear Worthy Independent Podcast Awards recently. I am beyond thrilled, and hugely grateful to the Ear Worthy team. It means so much to me to be recognised by a fellow indie outlet, and congratulations to all the other winners!

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ABOUT VERBAL DIORAMA

Verbal Diorama is hosted, produced, edited, researched, recorded and marketed by me, Em | This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.

Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song. Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe. Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio

Patrons: Claudia, Simon, Laurel, Derek, Cat, Andy, Mike, Luke, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Lisa, Sam, Jack, Dave, Stuart, Nicholas, Zo, Kev, Pete, Heather, Danny, Aly, Stu, Brett, Philip M, Michele, Xenos, Sean, Ryno, Philip K, Adam, Elaine, Kyle and Aaron.

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