‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ on Track for Best Box Office Debut for Video Game Adaptation
“Sonic the Hedgehog” is giving Paramount its best box office news in over a year. Released this weekend on 4,167 screens, the Sega mascot’s big screen debut is currently estimated for a $55 million 3-day opening weekend, which would just edge out the $54.3 million opening of “Detective Pikachu” to become the best opening weekend ever for a video game adaptation. Industry estimates for the 4-day Presidents’ Day weekend currently stand at $63 million.The delayed release of this film prompted by an intense rejection of Sonic’s initial design is turning out to be a bit of a blessing in disguise. Moved from last November to this extended Presidents’ Day weekend, “Sonic” is standing out in the movie marketplace as a popular family offering with no major competition currently in theaters and none coming until Pixar’s “Onward” arrives in three weeks. Audience reception, driven by both families and hardcore Sonic fans, ...