Rob Letterman, director of Detective Pikachu which hits theaters here in the US this week, had some thoughts of his own on the design and subsequent plans to re-design Sonic the Hedgehog for his upcoming live action film. When the Sonic movie trailer dropped, there was such a backlash from fans that the studio promised to go back and change the design prior to the film’s release.
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Letterman, in an interview with The Verge, had this to say:
“There’s no right or wrong to how you make one of these movies,” Letterman says. “It would be very difficult for us to redesign anything. We spent a year designing all the characters ahead of shooting so that we could get it all right. If we were off by an inch on Pikachu, [actor] Justice Smith’s performance would go right out the window. For us, it would have been impossible — but that doesn’t mean they can’t do it. I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes — they’re in a difficult spot.”
Needless to say, it does seem like it will be an undertaking for completely remodeling the fastest hedgehog alive in time for the October release of the film. The titular hedgehog will be voiced by Parks & Rec alum, Ben Schwartz, joined by James Marsden and Jim Carrey, with Carrey playing the role of antagonist Dr. Robotnik. Aside from the design of the hedgehog, fans were left scratching their heads at the inclusion of Coolio’s Gangster’s Paradise as the main theme of the trailer as well. The backlash was fast and furious, obviously enough for Paramount Studios to take a step back and re-assess the look of Sega’s Mascot for his first live action feature.
(Photo: Warner Brothers Productions and Paramount Studios)
Detective Pikachu’s designs however have been somewhat universally praised, with life-like renditions of the film managing to catch a lot of fanfare. Ryan Reynolds provides the voice of Detective Pikachu himself, a caffeine addicted Pokemon looking to solve a murder, and is joined by actor Justice Smith in attempting to crack the case. Though some of the Pokemon may seem a tad unsettling in real life (we’re looking at you Mr. Mime!), overall, these pocket monsters are looking to be a success at the box office.
Pokemon: Detective Pikachu is currently scheduled for a release on May 10th. The official synopsis for Pokemon: Detective Pikachu reads as such, “The story begins when ace detective Harry Goodman goes mysteriously missing, prompting his 21-year-old son Tim to find out what happened. Aiding in the investigation is Harry’s former Pokémon partner, Detective Pikachu: a hilariously wise-cracking, adorable super-sleuth who is a puzzlement even to himself. Finding that they are uniquely equipped to communicate with one another, Tim and Pikachu join forces on a thrilling adventure to unravel the tangled mystery.
Sonic The Hedgehog is currently scheduled for a release on November 8th from Paramount Studios.
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