In its seventh week at the box office, the Sonic franchise debuted in a rapidly expanding movie slate. It faced competition from Mufasa: The Lion King, which was released on the same day, Wicked, Gladiator 2, Moana 2, and now Dog Man. Despite the stiff competition, it has maintained a strong placement, enjoying a multi-million dollar gain every weekend.
According to data provided by The Numbers, that consistency has paid off. Sonic 3 is now the second highest-grossing video game movie of all time. With $462.5 million at the box office, it now stands ahead of Detective Pikachu (2019)'s $450 million total. It is behind only The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023), which earned $1.36 billion at the box office. Considering that it is behind Super Marios by nearly $1 billion, Sonic 3 should end its run in the second-place spot.
What Sonic's Milestone Means For Video Game Movies
Recent Years Have Proven Their Worth
This milestone is another massive step forward for video game movies. Three movies crossing $450 million worldwide is incredible after a generation of poorly received adaptations. Super Mario, Sonic 3, and Detective Pikachu stood far above previous releases. Even TV shows, including The Last of Us and Fallout, proved that faithful and successful adaptations are possible. On the big screen, however, they are becoming dominant. The chart below showcases the five top video game movies, including their domestic and international splits. Unsurprisingly, they are all recent releases:
Title |
Domestic Box Office |
International Box Office |
Worldwide Box Office |
|---|---|---|---|
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) |
$575 million |
$786 million |
$1.36 billion |
Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019) |
$144 million |
$306 million |
$450 million |
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024) |
$230.5 million |
$232 million |
$462.5 million |
Warcraft (2016) |
$47 million |
$392 million |
$439 million |
Rampage (2018) |
$101 million |
$237 million |
$428 million |
Every single one of these movies is from the last 10 years. That comes in sharp contrast with the top box office movies of all time, which is led by Avatar (2009) at $2.9 billion. It also includes 1997's Titanic (1997), which earned $2.3 billion. This change is partly driven by better responses from critics and audiences. Sonic 3, for instance, has a Tomatometer score of 86% and a Popcornmeter score of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. This is a dramatic improvement over previous years and even over recent releases. Detective Pikachu, for instance, had 68% and 79% scores, respectively.
Our Take On Sonic 3's Success
More Video Game Adaptations Could Be Coming
At the box office, 2024 was the year of adaptations, sequels, and prequels. Of the top 10 box office performers, not a single one was wholly original. With that in mind, Hollywood will likely continue to lean into established properties. Video games offer a wide world of stories to adapt. The success of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will only continue to prove that audiences are willing to engage with these beloved characters. In the coming years, more video game adaptations will likely be on the way. If their quality continues to increase, audiences should remain equally receptive.
Source: The Numbers
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
- Release Date
- December 20, 2024
- Runtime
- 110 minutes
- Director
- Jeff Fowler
Cast
Sonic (voice)
Dr. Robotnik / Gerald Robotnik
WHERE TO WATCH
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 reunites Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails as they face a formidable new adversary, Shadow. With Shadow's unprecedented powers posing a significant threat, Team Sonic seeks an unexpected alliance to thwart his plans and safeguard the planet.
- Writers
- Josh Miller, Patrick Casey, John Whittington
- Producers
- Neal H. Moritz, Tim Miller, Toru Nakahara, Tommy Gormley, Toby Ascher, Haruki Satomi, Hitoshi Okuno, Yukio Sugino
- Prequel(s)
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Franchise(s)
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Main Genre
- Adventure
- Studio(s)
- Sega Sammy Group, Original Film, Marza Animation Planet, Blur Studio
- Distributor(s)
- Paramount Pictures
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