Sonic the Hedgehog 2's Parks & Rec Joke Explained by Ben Schwartz

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Ben Schwartz reveals the backstory behind a Parks & Recreation joke that was snuck into Sonic the Hedgehog 2. The sequel, which came to theaters on April 8, 2022, has already made $71 million in its opening weekend, not only blowing the original Sonic's $58 million opening out of the water, but nabbing the second-highest opening weekend for a 2022 release so far, right behind The Batman. Considering the fact that the original Sonic the Hedgehog was one of the last pre-pandemic hits, this is great news for the future of the Sonic the Hedgehog live-action franchise, which also includes a spinoff series for Idris Elba's character Knuckles.

Sonic the Hedgehog is voiced by Ben Schwartz, an actor who has recently been seen in the Apple TV+ murder mystery series The Afterparty, which was recently renewed for season 2. However, he is probably best known for his role in the ever-popular NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation, where he played Tom Haverford's hilariously irritating friend Jean-Ralphio Saperstein. One of his most iconic catchphrases is describing something as "the wooorst" while singing the words in a nasal voice. He got to pay homage to his iconic role during a scene in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 where his character is watching a movie, by having Sonic repeat that memorable line.

Related: Everything We Know About Sonic's Knuckles Spinoff Show

While speaking with EW about Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Ben Schwartz shared the backstory behind that Parks & Rec joke. He said that the production was unsure what movie they would be able to get the rights for Sonic to watch, so he had to recite something like a hundred different takes for different films. Eventually, director Jeff Fowler and producer Toby Asher decided to go for a line that