'Sonic the Hedgehog 4' locks March 2027 release date
What's the story
Paramount has confirmed that the fourth installment of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise will hit theaters on March 19, 2027.
The announcement comes just after the success of Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which became the highest-grossing film in the series with $218.8 million domestically and $425 million worldwide.
To date, all three films have reportedly grossed over $1.1B combined at the global box office.
Box office success
'Sonic 3' dominated box office charts globally
Not only did Sonic 3 top domestic box office charts for two consecutive weeks, it also debuted at No. 1 in over 30 markets including the UK, Mexico, Italy, and Australia.
Apart from its theatrical success, the film has also generated over $180 million from home entertainment rentals and purchases worldwide.
Upcoming competition
'Sonic 4' to face competition from Universal and Warner Bros
The fourth Sonic film will hit the theaters on the same day as an untitled Universal film.
Warner Bros's Legendary MonsterVerse movie will release a week later on Easter weekend, March 26.
Other confirmed titles for 2027 include Avengers: Secret Wars (May 7), Bad Fairies (July 23), Margie Claus (November 5), and Frozen 3 (November 24).
Franchise evolution
'Sonic' franchise's journey from surprise hit to record breaker
Inspired by the Sega video game series, the Sonic franchise has been steadily growing since its inception.
The first film, released in 2020, was a surprise hit grossing $148 million domestically and $319 million worldwide.
Its 2022 sequel beat those numbers with $190 million domestic and $405 million global earnings.
A spinoff television series titled Knuckles also premiered on Paramount+ in 2024, further expanding the franchise's reach.