Late last year, Netflix accidentally let the hedgehog out of the bag a bit early when one of their Twitter accounts revealed an animated Sonic the Hedgehog series was on the way. The tweet was quickly deleted, but word still spread, as it usually does on the internet. We even wrote up a story about it. Now, Netflix has gone ahead and made it official: the Sonic the Hedgehog animated series does exist, and it’s called Sonic Prime.

And what is Sonic Prime, you ask? Why, according to Netflix, it’s a 24-episode “animated adventure for kids, families, and long-time fans” that “draws upon the keystones of the brand and features the ‘Blue Blur’ of video game fame in a high-octane adventure where the fate of a strange new multiverse rests in his gloved hands. Sonic’s adventure is about more than a race to save the universe, it’s a journey of self-discovery and redemption.” And no, it doesn’t look like this series is going to be directly tied into the recent live-action Sonic movie, as far as I can tell.

The show is being animated at WildBrain’s Vancouver studio, with SEGA and WildBrain working together. Man of Action Entertainment, who have credits that include Ben 10, Generator Rex, Gormiti Nature Unleashed, and Big Hero 6, have been brought on as showrunners and executive producers for the series.

Dominique Bazay, Director of Original Animation, Netflix, said: “Sonic is a beloved character and holds a special place in everyone’s heart including my own. I spent many hours with the blue blur as a kid and it’s a privilege to be able to bring this character everyone knows and loves on a brand new adventure with Netflix — one that a generation of loyal fans and brand new fans around the world can enjoy.”

Ivo Gerscovich, Chief Brand Officer at SEGA, added: “Sonic the Hedgehog is a global entertainment icon that has captivated audiences since its video game debut in 1991. With over 1.14 billion game units sold and downloaded to date, an exciting feature film, a robust licensing program and more, SEGA’s iconic hedgehog continues to surprise and delight audiences worldwide. We’re thrilled to partner with WildBrain, Man of Action Entertainment and Netflix to speed into this new, animated chapter in the Sonic franchise.”

And Josh Scherba, President, WildBrain, said: “With generations of devoted fans around the world, Sonic the Hedgehog is more popular today than ever before, and we’re thrilled to be partnering with Netflix, SEGA and Man of Action to deliver all new Sonic adventures for audiences worldwide. This premium franchise is ideally suited to WildBrain’s capabilities and it’s already inspiring great things from our talented creative teams. We’ve witnessed first-hand the enduring popularity of this brand from the strong and steady global demand for our library of legacy Sonic series. We look forward now to bringing fresh and exciting Sonic content to fans both new and old.”

Sonic Prime will hit Netflix sometime in 2022.

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