‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’ vies to be the pandemic era’s top-grossing kids film

‘SONIC the Hedgehog 2’, a sequel to the 2020 hit from Paramount Pictures, could be the pandemic era’s top-grossing kids film, if parents get more comfortable bringing little ones back to theaters.

The PG-rated picture is projected to generate US$65 million in US and Canadian ticket sales this weekend, according to Boxoffice Pro. Paramount is forecasting over US$50 million.

It’s already taken in US$26.1 million in international ticket sales after opening in 31 markets last week.

The film, about a superfast blue mammal, has a number of things going for it. It’s based on a popular Sega Co. video-game franchise.

Its predecessor was one of the last big hits before the pandemic struck.

And it’s getting decent reviews, with 66 per cent critical approval, according to RottenTomatoes.com.

The picture is also coming out during spring break, meaning more parents will be looking for things to do with their kids as coronavirus case counts lessen and mask rules are lifted.

All that is good news for theater owners, who have relied heavily on older kids and young adults to fill their seats the past few years.

“‘Sonic 2’ is the greatest litmus test yet during the pandemic of how comfortable parents are feeling taking their kids back to public venues like the theater,” said Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at Boxoffice Pro.

“The results of this film at the box office will tell us a great deal about what to expect from other family movies coming up during the summer and beyond.”

Kids are an important demographic for movie studios. Children age 2 to 17 accounted for 28 per cent of domestic movie ticket sales in 2021, while only making up 21 per cent of the population, according to research from the Motion Picture Association.

But they’re also more likely to be enticed by smaller-screen options. About 85 per cent of kids in the US watched fulllength movies on their mobile devices last year, compared with 60 per cent of adults.

‘Sonic 2’, a combination live action and animated film, tells the story of the hedgehog as he tries “to prove he has what it takes to be a true hero,” according to a description from Paramount.

Along with a friend, Knuckles, he goes in search of an emerald before it can fall into the hands of the evil villain, Dr Robotnik, played by Jim Carrey.

The original ‘Sonic’ generated US$58 million in domestic ticket sales on its opening weekend and remained No. 1 for two weeks in February 2020.

It’s now the top-grossing film based on a video-game franchise domestically, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com.