Box Office: Sonic 3 STARTS STREAMING on Paramount Plus after triumphant USD 480 million global haul

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 starts streaming on Paramount+ after grossing USD 480M globally, becoming the highest-grossing film in the franchise despite competition from Mufasa: The Lion King.

Written by Seema Sinha , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Feb 19, 2025 | 10:01 AM IST | 46.6K

Picture Courtesy: Paramount Pictures

After a successful theatrical run, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is now available to stream on Paramount Plus. The third installment in the action-comedy franchise based on the Sonic the Hedgehog video game made an impressive USD 480 million globally, making it the highest-grossing film in the series.

Its predecessor, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, earned USD 403.8 million worldwide, while the first film that kicked off the journey grossed USD 303.4 million. With a budget of USD 122 million, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 proved to be a major commercial success.

The film’s theatrical run coincided with Mufasa: The Lion King, Disney’s photorealistic animated prequel and sequel to the 2019 The Lion King remake. While Mufasa is projected to surpass USD 700 million globally, it had a significantly higher budget of USD 200 million. Despite the competition, Sonic 3 held its ground, cementing itself as a major hit.

Directed by Jeff Fowler and written by Pat Casey, Josh Miller, and John Whittington, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 features returning stars Jim Carrey, Ben Schwartz, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, and Idris Elba. Keanu Reeves joined the cast, adding to the film’s star power. The story follows Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles as they battle Shadow the Hedgehog, who joins forces with vengeful scientists Ivo and Gerald Robotnik in the quest for revenge against humanity.

Meanwhile, Mufasa: The Lion King, directed by Barry Jenkins, features an ensemble cast including Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Donald Glover, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, and John Kani, alongside newcomers Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., and Blue Ivy Carter in her feature film debut. The film explores the origins of Mufasa and his rivalry with Scar.

With Sonic the Hedgehog 3 now available for streaming alongside other installments in the franchise, fans can revisit the universe’s box office success while anticipating Sonic 4, which has been set for a spring 2027 release. Plot details for the upcoming film are being kept under wraps, but fans are already speculating about what’s in store. Per chatter among viewers of Sonic 3, the film introduces new characters Amy Rose and an army of Metal Sonics, and these in-game characters could be the stars of the next movie, just like how the first movie teased Tails and the sequel introduced Shadow.

Since the development of Sonic 4 is in its very early stages, fans will have to wait a long time before Paramount drops a synopsis or provides any confirmation regarding the plot.