New Sonic 2 Movie Poster Is a Tribute To the Retro Boxart

Whether because of its simple but iconic style, or because it marked the moment that Sonic the Hedgehog truly exploded in popularity, Sonic 2’s original boxart remains lodged in gaming’s collective consciousness even today, 30 years after its original release.

Apparently aware of this, the upcoming Sonic 2 movie has released yet another poster, this one aimed at squarely at fans who still have fond memories of the beloved sequel. Voice actor Ben Schwartz, who will reprise his role as Sonic in the upcoming film, shared the new poster on Twitter.

The Sonic 2 movie poster side-by-side with the original boxart.

The poster is a clear homage to the original boxart, with Jim Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik grinning over a giant number denoting the sequel. The tagline — “Welcome to the Next Level” — is a reference to the classic Sega Genesis ad campaign from the early 90s.

But while it’s very similar to the original boxart, it also differs in some ways. Sonic and Tails still take center stage, but they’re standing back-to-back in this version. Instead of a blank background, there’s a fantastical waterfall. All in all it’s more dynamic, but perhaps not as clean as the original.

The poster was released in the run-up to the release of Sonic 2, which is due next month. Earlier today, Paramount also released the movie’s final trailer, which prominently features Idris Elba’s Knuckles.

Paramount and Sega have big plans for Sonic. In addition to the upcoming movie, a Knuckles spin-off series starring Elba is in the works for Paramount Plus. Sega also has a new game in development.

In the meantime, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is set to premiere on April 8. While you wait, check out our Sonic 2 panel discussion, which originally premiered during IGN Fan Fest 2022.

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Adam Oakley: Events Reporter

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