It’s probably not unfair to say that, after years of trying, Sonic the Hedgehog is finally seeing a revival as an IP that has more good than bad going on. Between the Sonic movies, the latest of which is a certified box office hit, excitement over Sonic Frontiers coming later this year, a popular Wordle spinoff, and even viral Twitter memes, it really seems like the speedster is poised for a cultural wave. It makes sense then that Sonic is now poised to return to where his previous incarnations also saw success: the TV screen.
Thus comes Netflix’s first look at Sonic Prime, a new CG show coming to the streaming platform. The show was announced earlier this year, but concept art that leaked prior to its announcement indicates that it’s a multiversal concept centered on Sonic(s) and multiple versions of his arch-nemesis. The first clip came today as part of a package reel of upcoming animated Netflix shows.
Eagle-eared Sonic fans will recognize that his voice is a little different this time around. Unlike more recent voice casting for Sonic, the hedgehog will be voiced by a black actor for the first official time in decades, with Deven Mack assuming the role. The clip doesn’t give us a whole lot of Sonic to go off, but Mack seems to sound like Sonic, which is half the battle.
Despite a well-liked jaunt in the form of Sonic Boom on Cartoon Network, the hedgehog’s most best-known TV appearances from a pair of cartoons in the mid-90s. Many of the last few Sonic video games, however, were not well-liked and have put publisher Sega in a bit of an odd spot with the property. While Sonic will always be a video game character, maybe he’ll start being far better known for his external entertainment media than he will the games.
Sonic Prime is scheduled to hit the streaming service later this year.
