Life is full of mysteries. One of those mysteries is why Tim Miller would choose to depart Deadpool 2 over “creative differences” and then, within days of that decision, hop on board the creative team for Sony’s Sonic the Hedgehog movie. Technically, Miller’s not directing the Sonic movie, but rather serving as the executive producer; Jeff Fowler will direct.
Fowler and Miller are already colleagues at Blur Studios, a visual effects studio, so they’ve worked together before. It makes some sense, then, that they would pair up for the Sonic movie, since the project plans to combine both CG animation and live-action sequences.
It makes some sense, I said. But not a lot. According to insiders, Miller left Deadpool 2 because he wanted to make it into a big-budget superhero movie with a larger scope than the first Deadpool, whereas the rest of the creative team wanted to stick with Ryan Reynolds’ “scrappy” take on the franchise. Sure, fine, that all makes sense … but following up Deadpool with Sonic feels like a lateral move. And that’s if I’m being generous.
It’s pretty easy to draw comparisons between Deadpool and Sonic, so it’s not like Tim Miller will be entering wildly different territory with this project. Sure, Sonic is G-rated, but other than that? These characters are both wise-cracking dudes who have become just as well-known as internet memes than in their actual source material. Let’s be real: Deadpool and Sonic would probably be friends if they ever met. I don’t want to look up any of the fan-fiction about it, but I’m 100% positive it’s out there.
Ironically, the “scrappy” take of the first Deadpool would probably work well in the Sonic project as well, so it’s too bad that Tim Miller doesn’t want to do another project with a similar scope. Also, just like Deadpool, the Sonic movie seems like exactly the sort of project that could get stuck in development hell for a long time, which means it’ll require a lot of patience and few resources … again, exactly the type of project Tim Miller didn’t want to do again.
Deadpool had the benefit of Ryan Reynolds’ unbridled devotion to seeing the project through in spite of all the obstacles, which is the only reason it happened at all. I’m not sure Sonic has anyone like that on board. But, hey, what’s Jaleel White doing these days?
(via Engadget, image via Sega/Imgur)
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