Sonic the Hedgehog attractions planned for the U.S. and beyond

“I’m working with Sega on some great projects,” Perry told us. “This is the first time they’ve been in the location-based entertainment marketplace in the United States—a lot of Sonic the Hedgehog. We’re developing projects here, as well as in Europe, Japan, and South America.”

But this is not the first time we’ve been promised themed experiences from Sega. In fact, all the way back in 2016, AttractionsManagement.com reported that then Sega CEO Hajime Satomi was looking to expand its reach beyond gaming, including indoor theme parks.

“Going forward, Sega’s key word and main focus is entertainment and I would like us to be recognized for entertainment internationally in the future,” Satomi told The World Folio.

At that time, the first Sonic the Hedgehog movie was still in development—and it would be another four years before the action-adventure comedy hit the big screen. Following “Sonic the Hedgehog” (2020), there have been two sequels: “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” (2022) and “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” (2024), with “Sonic the Hedgehog 4” slated for a March 19, 2027 release.

Based on the information shared by Perry—and considering Sonic will soon have a four-film franchise under his belt—it’s no surprise Satomi’s 2016 goal is finally becoming a reality.

Video Games in the Parks

Timing is everything when it comes to theme parks, but just because a franchise is successful in one medium doesn’t necessarily mean it can translate to a successful theme park attraction (we’re looking at you Fast & Furious – Supercharged).

Nevertheless, the massive success of Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan, Universal Studios Hollywood, and, most recently, Universal Epic Universe is certainly a good indicator that video game fans will also flock to gaming-related attractions and experiences.

And Sonic has been in a theme park before. In 2010, the Spinball Whizzer coaster at Alton Towers in the UK was reimagined as the Sonic Spinball coaster, featuring a red and blue track and audio that included music from the Sonic video game series. In 2016, the attraction was converted back, and Spinball Whizzer currently operates without any Sonic the Hedgehog theming.

Another example of a video game that made the leap to a theme park is Uncharted, a video game that inspired a 2022 action-adventure film, which in turn became Uncharted: The Enigma of Penitence, a dark ride roller coaster at PortAventura World in Spain.

Even Halloween Horror Nights has jumped on the bandwagon, with 2024 haunted houses in Hollywood and Orlando based on The Last of Us (the game, not the series) and 2025 houses based on Fallout (the series, not the game). Another video game/movie making an appearance this Halloween is Five Nights at Freddy’s.

So, what does all this mean? With the continued success of the Sonic the Hedgehog movies, we may see upcoming experiences based on the films and/or the games—but for both gaming fans and movie fans, this seems like a win-win.