Sonic X: The Final Stand

Sonic X: The Final Stand is an upcoming 2011 animated film, known for the fifth film in the Sonic X film series. Roger Craig Smith and Kate Higgins are set to replace them instead and on for future games. McFarland announced that this will be the final film in the franchise, because of the sixth installment he is working on got cancelled due to ending a true story changing Sonic X: The Black Knight to Sonic X: The Final Stand. This installment is scheduled for May 13, 2011, including IMAX and Real D 3D for the first time. The movie will be written by Michael Haigney and Ted Lewis. Animation begins on June 22, 2010. New characters Greg the Fox and Jessica will be voiced by Taylor Lautner and Miranda Cosgrove. And this is the only film in the film series that have new voice actors as one of the main characters.

Plot
On his 20th birthday, Sonic the Hedgehog (voiced by Roger Craig Smith) is losing his fans as well as his abilities to the goofy but strong and powerful Greg the Fox (voiced by Taylor Lautner). The only thing that he can get his power in great shape is to collect all seven Chaos Emearalds before Greg grabs them to create the ultimate power to protect Station Square and the world.

The faith of Sonic is that he can still go fast and strong, is by using his speed ability of his racing gear that is his only power that can make him to have his powers restored. He will have to challenge along with his members against Greg and his army into the ultimate race all around the world to the finish line and the save the world while he prepares for a final battle against him and the entire dead army.

Meanwhile, Sonic, Tails, (voiced by Kate Higgins) Knuckles, (voiced by Kent Hampton) Amy (voiced by Cindy Robinson) and others learned that Greg the Fox had a sister named Jessica the Fox (voiced by Miranda Cosgrove) who were fighting with each other ever since they were born. They are also force to make Jessica and Greg not to fight with each other and became a happy family.

Cast

 * Roger Craig Smith as two characters:
 * Sonic the Hedgehog, The main protagonist of the series. Sonic is a male hedgehog with blue fur. He manage to battle against his new nemesis Greg the Fox and bring him together with his sister Jessica. Also, he is finally dating Amy.
 * Jet the Hawk, the leader of the Babylon Rogues.
 * Kate Higgins as
 * Miles Prower, Sonic's best friend and boyfriend of Cream.
 * Wave the Swallow, member of the Babylon Rogues, as a love interest to Jet.
 * Kent Hampton as Knuckles the Echidna, Sonic's other best friend and fighting buddy. He still have true feelings for Rouge since the previous film.
 * Cindy Robinson as Amy Rose, Sonic's girlfriend.
 * Kirk Thornton as Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic's frienemy, who looks identical of Sonic. He has true feelings for Rouge till Knuckles came along.
 * Karen Strassman as Rouge the Bat, Shadow or Knuckles' love interest, which she must decide who she will be with.
 * Derek Allen as Silver the Hedgehog, a white hedgehog, who has his abilities to hover objects.
 * Mike Pollock as Dr. Eggman, Sonic's main nenesis.
 * Oliver Wyman as Big the Cat, one of Amy's friend.
 * Laura Bailey as Blaze the Cat, 14 years old and appointed as defender of the Sol Emeralds, as one of Silver's friend, knowing to become his love interest.
 * Taylor Lautner as Greg the Fox, handsome and evil villain, who usually acts goofy trying to be funny. He deslikes Sonic and manage to rule the world by getting all seven Chaos Emeralds and bring people and Sonic's previous villains back from the dead.
 * Miranda Cosgrove as Jessica the Fox, Greg's sister, who has slightly a little crush on Knuckles.
 * Troy Baker Espio, member of the Chaotix team.
 * Raven Radix, within him dead from The Revenge of Sonic, he is set to return from the dead as army of Greg, as of his own army.
 * Keith Silverstein as Victor, leader of the team Chaotix.
 * Colleen O'Shaughnessey as Charmy, a member of team Chaotix who helps Sonic and friends and allies to get all of the seven Chaos Emeralds from seven places.
 * Ryan Drummond as Metal Sonic, a robotic copy of Sonic, as one of Eggman's robots, who became out of control to join King Lydio's side, must reboard him away.
 * Ben Linkin as Lydio the Hedgehog, Sonic's previous villain, which Greg bring him back from the dead, not as a zombie but by the way he was born.

The main characters are being replaced by new voice actors, while Mike Pollock is the only actor that he can reprise his role. The new character's name was announced as Greg the Fox, and will be voiced by The Twilight Saga star Taylor Lautner. Jane Hoop Elementary actor Ben Linkin will reprise his role as King Lydio the Hedgehog, and Lacey Chabert will reprise her role as Elise, but the character will not be seen in the film, and Chabert will not return for the fifth movie.

Raven Radix, who has died from third installment, Sonic X: The Revenge of Sonic will return and will be reprised by David Wills. Anthony Salerno will also reprise his role as Chip. Miranda Cosgrove will be playing as a new character Jessica in the film.

Development
Following by Sonic X: Curse of Raven Radix (2007), Sonic X: The Shadow Snow (2008), Sonic X: The Revenge of Sonic (2009) and Sonic X: Return to Soleanna (2010), Sonic X: Black Doom's Return and Sonic X: The Brand New Future is the original titles for the fifth film, which has been confirmed along with the fourth film, as it'll let the story continue for the way to kill King Lydio the Hedgehog, and nearly set a year after Silver's death, and Princess Elise will once again be seen into this film. The film is currently set to come out in summer 2011. On January 1, 2010, it was announced that the previous film will be the final film into the film series, while announcing for this film, it was reprounounced as a hoax, which means "There will be no Sonic X 5" from Fox, because of it ran out of ideas to make more films. Therefore, King Lydio the Hedgehog was revealed that he is killed at the end of Sonic X: Return to Soleanna, so Sonic and friends won't continue to destroy him to the next film.

But on May 26, 2010, it announced that 20th Century Fox is not done with the film series yet, because of them have other plans on making more movies about Sonic X movie sequels to help Sega to have its' successful charts. It announced to make more Sonic X sequels titled in Sonic X: The Black Knight, setting for July 29, 2011 release. Animation begins in summer 2010. The film will have effects from Sonic and the Black Knight. The film will have Knuckles, Shadow and Blaze as Amy's black knights, when Amy will be as Lady of the Lake.

Following the success of the film franchise, Sonic X: The Black Knight was originally going to be done from the game Sonic and the Black Knight with the same story, but seperate to do something differently for a much dramatic theme. The film tries to release it between April 29, 2011 and November 30, 2011, but gives it a July 29, 2011 release, in case that they try to release it for the same year since Sonic X: Return to Soleanna is released on June 4, 2010. Other release from previous film, Sonic X: Curse of Raven Radix was released May 30, 2007, Sonic X: The Shadow Snow was released on August 29, 2008 and Sonic X: The Revenge of Sonic was released on October 2, 2009. The movie will be written by Michael Haigney and Ted Lewis. Director and producer Dana McFarland will return as director like he did to the previous films.

On June 20, 2010, with the sixth and final film being cancelled, the film's title has changed to Sonic X: The Final Stand, to avoid the confusion from Sonic: The Black Knight, as of to become the final film instead. This film can also be titled for Sonic X: The Final Chapter.

The film's production budget will be $245 million, which made it the second most expensive animated film of all-time behind Disney's Tangled with $260 million.

Animation
Animation for the film begins on June 22, 2010. The film will indeed make changes than Sonic and the Black Knight. Nimune, the Lady of the Lake will instead bee called in Amy Rose, the Lady of the Lake. Knuckles the Echidna, Blaze the Cat, Shadow the Hedgehog, Silver the Hedgehog and Jet the Hawk, who were known for Sir Gawain (Knuckles), Sir Percival (Blaze), Sir Lancelot (Shadow), Sir Galahad (Silver) and Sir Lamorak (Jet). Miles "Tails" Prower, who is an original Blacksmith, who appears in a small role from the game, will be the defend of Amy.

Rather than using same ideas from Sonic: The Black Knight, it will have make a different setting where they were called by their same name instead of the other names from the game. There is also Rouge the Bat to appear as Rouge the Bat, god of the land. This met that she is trapsported by the Chaos Emerald and became god. Also, Sally Acorn will appear as Sally's army weher her castle lived underground.

Soundtrack

 * ''Main article: Sonic X: The Final Stand (soundtrack)

The Sonic X: The Final Stand Original Motion Picture Soundtrack will be released on May 10, 2011.

Marketing
The first look of the film was shown from the DVD release of Sonic X: Return to Soleanna. But just a day before it's release, the first look was leaked online. The film's teaser poster was released online, while a teaser trailer is set to release online on November 12, 2010 at 8:00 pm. The second trailer is originally scheduled for January 2011 release, but was pushed back in March.

Three posters of the film were released on January 10, 2011, showing Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower and Knuckles the Echidna. But with the 3D IMAX cancelled, the posters were officially revised.

Release
Sonic X: The Black Knight changed the film's title to Sonic X: The Final Stand to comare it to be the final film, as well as the film's plot summary. It picked a release date of a worldwide October 7, 2011 in the United States in both Real 3D and IMAX 3D for the first time. The previous film, Sonic X: Return to Soleanna is the only film to have an IMAX release of June 4, 2010. It will be avaliable in a Real D 3D and IMAX theaters. On July 8, 2010, the film's release date moved up from 2 days to May 11, 2011. Within that release, it was not said from 20th Century Fox that why they would move up the release date. Fox will explain till further notice. Fox, however, replaced it's original release date states a Friday opening will be better than a Wedneday opening.

With that being said, the film has some release date confirming difficulties; it tries to release it between April 29, 2011 and November 30, 2011, but gives it a July 29, 2011 release, in case that they try to release it for the same year since Sonic X: Return to Soleanna is released on June 4, 2010 to June 3, 2011, one year after that. But decided to release it in may like Sonic X: Curse of Raven Radix did, just three weeks before the same weekend of the film, in case to aviold competion against X-Men: First Class, where it sets for June 3, 2011 release. Also in that film, Ben Linkin also signs to appear in that film, lucky enough that two of the films are not going to be released on the same day.

Sonic X: The Final Stand promises that the film will have a 3D release to make it look very interest, and is going to be the first time releasing in 3D ever since the previous film is only released in regular and IMAX theaters, but not 3D. With it, the film is sometimes yet to title as Sonic X: The Final Stand 3D meaning that the film is yet to be released in 3D, and 2D theaters will also be avaliable.

It was originally set to release on May 13, 2011, but on November 14, 2010, six months before the film's release, the film's release date was pushed back five months to October 7, 2011. But Fox later plans to give back the film's original release date, even though they don't want fans to wait five months longer. The film is going to be in 3D, but not IMAX 3D. It was originally going to be in IMAX 3D, but it was confirmed that it is set to release in only an 2D IMAX theaters, but Real D 3D will be included even though the film only shows of real 3D special effects.

On March 28, 2011, the film's MPPA rating is PG, for "violence, mild sequences and language", and was also nearly two hours long, making it the longest Sonic X film to date.

As of May 2011, Fandango reports that 1900 showtimes has sold out tickets for the film, leading it to break box office records such as opening to about $120 million in its opening weekend, putting Shrek the Third's record in danger for being the biggest weekend opening for an animated film. The film will play in 3,100 midnight theaters. Nationwide will be in 4,000 theaters within more than 2,000 3D theaters, and 260 IMAX theaters.

Critical Responses
Sonic X: The Final Stand has already gotten early reviews, and one of them are mixed. It rated a postive 79% from the Rotten Tomatoes based on 259 views, including an average score of 8.8/10, making it the third highest rated film into the series behind The Revenge of Sonic and Return to Soleanna. Metacritics gave an average score of 80/100 based on 47 views, giving it a positive review. The film also had mixed reviews on the "Top Critic" scoring 100% based on 200 reviews, with average score of 5.8 out of 10.

Variety gave the film a mixed review, stating it "The best one yet, but not included a racing theme." It also stated: "Sonic's voice sounded too different than the original from the last ones, and this film should have done way better than usual."

Cancelled Sequel
20th Century Fox signs up for two more movie sequels. The sixth film would be released sometimes in 2012, and was announced on June 8, 2010, that it will be the final installment sometimes known to be as Sonic X: The Final Chapter. While working on the fifth installment, they're also working for the release date of the sixth installment between a May or June 2012, where it's having trouble deciding which release date is perfect for the film.

It will be featuring with Mario characters, including the return of Chip from Sonic Unleashed at this time. A new villain is yet to be confirmed. Animation will be beginning between summer or fall 2011. It will also features with several other characters such as Sally, Bunny, Manic, Sonia and more. Original cast will be replaced by new cast members. Lacey Chabert will reprise her role as Elise one more time.

On June 20, 2010, Fox cancels the film, because of Fox having plans to let Sonic to end his story of staying in the real world and be with his own family, friends and fans to take over his life. The cast, who are previous met to be appearing into this film, will instead to appear in The Final Stand.

Prequel
It was announced that a prequel for the film is in the works. This film will be forcing on the birth of Shadow the Hedgehog and will set 50 years before he met Sonic the Hedgehog. Titling Shadow the Hedgehog, it will be released in theaters on June 1, 2012, and will be from Warner Bros. replacing of 20th Century Fox.