Blockbuster film Sonic the Hedgehog provided $37.5M boost to B.C.
Credit to Author: Stephanie Ip| Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2020 20:54:26 +0000
Many say you’ve got to spend money to make money, and blockbuster film Sonic the Hedgehog did just that here in B.C.
The Paramount Pictures film is racing its way to the top of the box office, but not before it spent $37.5 million in B.C. during its 2018 production.
According to figures released Thursday by the Motion Picture Association of Canada, the production spent $22 million on local labour, creating 1,450 jobs for local cast and crew when it spent 53 days filming in B.C. two years ago (figures in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted).
“The professional artists and technicians of IATSE Local 891 love a challenge and bringing this much loved video game character to the big screen fit the bill,” said Phil Klapwyk with IATSE Local 891, which represents film workers across B.C.
“Sonic the Hedgehog isn’t just a creative and technical success; it provided good jobs for many B.C. crew members. We’re definitely hoping for a sequel!”
An additional $15.5 million was injected into the local economy for production-related goods and services, including $490,000 on catering, $1.6 million on hotels and accommodations, $350,000 on hardware and lumber, and $300,000 on wardrobe.
Production for the film, which is based on the classic Sega video game franchise about a speedy blue hedgehog, took place across B.C.’s South Coast, with the majority of its filming locations on Vancouver Island.
Campbell River’s Shelter Point Distillery, Nanaimo’s Diplomat Hotel, Belcarra’s Camp Howdy and Squamish’s Stawamus Chief Park all feature in the film. A key action sequence – which sees Jim Carrey’s Dr. Ivo Robotnik chasing Sonic, voiced by Ben Schwartz, and his human companion played by James Marsden – was filmed in the area around Vancouver Island’s Highway 19. The span was closed for five days in August 2018 to allow for production to stage a number of vehicle-related stunts.
“Filming in B.C. provided us with incredible local cast and crew, and beautiful locations for Sonic the Hedgehog,” said Lee Rosenthal with Paramount Pictures. “We found great partnership in the local business community, and they satisfied all of our production-related needs.”
Sonic the Hedgehog hit theatres on Feb. 14 and raked in US $70 million over that country’s four-day Presidents Day long weekend, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The film also debuted to US $43 million from its first 40 international markets. The film cost US $87 million to make.
The movie had initially been forecast to bring in US $45 to $50 million domestically over the four-day period, but beat that projection with US $58 million over just three days. Analysts now say the film has a chance at grossing US $200 million domestically.
A post-credits sequence also hinted at a possible continuation of the Sonic film franchise, after introducing Miles “Tails” Prower, a sidekick to Sonic and featured character in the original video games.
Actors James Marsden, Ben Schwartz, Jim Carrey and Tika Sumpter (left to right) at a Sonic The Hedgehog Family Day Event on Jan. 25 in Hollywood.
CLICK HERE to report a typo.
Is there more to this story? We’d like to hear from you about this or any other stories you think we should know about. Email vantips@postmedia.com.