Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Box Office Opening Could Match First Movie

screenrant.com:

Sonic the Hedgehog 2's box office opening could match that of the original movie. The first Sonic film hit theaters right before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and became a surprise hit. It grossed $319.7 million globally against an $85 million production budget, eventually surpassing Detective Pikachu as the highest-grossing video game movie domestically. That success paved the way for Paramount to develop a franchise, with the sequel coming out this weekend.

Paramount has big plans for the Sonic property, with Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and a Knuckles TV show in the pipeline. As such, the studio will be keeping a close eye on Sonic the Hedgehog 2's box office performance to see if there's still interest in the series. Fortunately for them, the projections indicate they will have another modest hit on their hands.

Related: Sonic the Hedgehog 2: What Jim Carrey's Retirement Means for the Franchise

Per Variety, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is expected to earn $55 million or more in its first three days domestically. That figure is in line with the original Sonic movie, which grossed $58 million in its first three days, and $70 million over the extended Presidents' Day weekend. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 should top the charts in its debut, besting last week's champ Morbius (falling to $15-17 million) and Michael Bay's Ambulance (estimated $10 million debut).

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 cost about $90 million to produce, so it should be in decent shape even if it grosses a little less than its predecessor. Early Sonic the Hedgehog 2 reviews say the film is fun, painting it as an entertaining time at the theater for families. That demographic has arguably been underserved in the early parts of 2022. The year's most high-profile family film,