The fun family flick Sonic the Hedgehog is now bachelor to watch in your own home (currently bachelor on digital from Paramount Dwelling house Entertainment, and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and for rental on-need on May 19th), and some versions even have a diverseness of extras that include a new blitheness, deleted scenes, a blooper reel, the origins of the speedy niggling blue character, and commentary. In this chance, helmed by director Jeff Fowler, Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) embraces and is enjoying his new home on Earth, until he accidentally catches the attention of evil genius Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) and finds himself needing the assistance of Sheriff Tom Wachowski (James Marsden) to salvage the planet.

During this 1-on-1 telephone interview with Collider, actor James Marsden talked most why he wanted to sign on for Sonic the Hedgehog, acting contrary a not-existent co-star, what stood in for Sonic on prepare, and whether he'd be game to do a sequel, subsequently production picks back up again. He besides talked about where things are at with the Enchanted sequel, and whether he'due south watching Flavour 3 of Westworld while he's having to stay at abode.

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Photo by Doane Gregory/Paramount Pictures and Sega of America.

Collider: This is non the only, or fifty-fifty the outset, time that yous've had a co-star that doesn't actually exist, in existent life. Could you ever imagined that would have happened to y'all one time, allow alone have that not be the merely time that information technology's happened to you?

JAMES MARSDEN: Not really. Only I don't actually have a full plan of, "Okay, this is what I'm doing this yr. This is what I'grand doing side by side yr. Hither'southward what I'm doing, for the side by side ten years." Hop is gonna get some starting time with Easter, which is gonna brand it expect similar I shot them back to dorsum, simply that was x or 11 years ago. And so, I try to stick to maybe no more than one time every decade, acting with an animated character. It's one of those things where I've got three kids and those kinds of movies do well and people seem to similar them for family unit movies. So, you've got all that stuff in the middle that sometimes people forget almost. I e'er try to not practice the same thing, over and over again, fifty-fifty if information technology looks similar I'm doing the same affair, over and again. I approximate information technology's just me going, "Oh, this sounds similar fun. There's a big huge following with the video game, and I used to play it when I was younger. Jim Carrey is involved. This sounds like a party. Yeah, I'll do that once more." But I've probably hitting my quota.

When the idea of a Sonic the Hedgehog film came your manner, did you lot think it sounded cool, or were you hesitant about doing a video game picture show, especially non knowing how the main character would expect until it was washed?

MARSDEN: In that location was a little bit of hesitation, but y'all can over-think things like that sometimes. You look at it an become, "Practise I similar the director? Do I like the script? It at that place some fun stuff in at that place? Is the script better than your run of the factory, boilerplate, cookie cutter this blazon of motion-picture show?" And I didn't experience like that was the case with Sonic. I felt the writing was really abrupt and skewed more towards teenagers and adults. Obviously, it'due south a family unit movie, merely it doesn't underestimate the intelligence and the sense of humor of young people nowadays, which is far more than advanced than I was, when I was immature. The jokes were smart, they were clever, and there was heart to it. It was very well-counterbalanced and it was a good blitheness studio. And I wanted to piece of work with Jim [Carrey]. You weigh a bunch of things, when you go into something like this. I can't look at it very black and white. At that place are a lot of unlike variables that I factor in. At the time, information technology felt similar something fun to do. I didn't know at the time, but subsequently that, I went to do something a trivial darker, with Stephen King'southward The Stand. And then, I always effort to diversify a little bit.

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Photo by Paramount Pictures and Sega of America.

Actors talk a lot about how much information technology pushes them and makes their functioning better when they're acting opposite someone who'south bringing their A-game. What is that experience like, when you have to do scenes where your scene partner isn't there because they're created afterward?

MARSDEN: I like it. You do accept to have religion in the editor and the director and the actor who's doing the voice. But I knew Ben Schwartz'southward work, and know that he'south one of the sharper comedians out there and a peachy writer, as well. And so, I knew that he was gonna become in the vocal berth and actually make information technology smart and sharp and funny. That was a condom net there, creatively. And I got to spend some time with Ben beforehand, and nosotros got a sense of each other'southward sense of humour. On ready, it afforded me the breadth to give ideas to push information technology more than towards seeing how close we could get to making this PG-13 or even R, occasionally. We wanted to accept the arrow pointed in that direction, and so that we could then pull it back for the kids. On set, we had a guy, who's a local improv guy named Scott Patey, that came in and read Ben's lines, off photographic camera, just for me, then I'd have somebody to riff with. Information technology was so of import to be able to read with somebody who could mess around with you. We decided to come up up with things on the day. Y'all're ever mining for ideas, and scenes can evolve and modify, every bit you start to brand the film. You simply take to have a really nice imagination when you're acting with a tennis brawl or a stuffed animal or sometimes just a blue bean handbag. It does brand you tap back into your childhood and use your imagination. It's fun. Nil really replaces the rhythms you go into when you're acting opposite real people, and how powerful heart contact is. We're getting close to the point where information technology'south pretty damn seamless, and I'm proud of how it turned out.

I also am a big fan of the work that y'all did in Enchanted. Fifty-fifty though all production is on hold right now, it seems equally though in that location's finally some actual active evolution for the Enchanted sequel. Have yous read a script? Have at that place been actual conversations with you lot about it?

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Photo past: Doane Gregory/Paramount Pictures and Sega of America

MARSDEN: I've not read a script. I hear they're working on it. I hear they're working on the music. I've had a couple of texts from some people involved. That'southward the extent of it. My fingers are crossed. I'm to the point now where it'south been then long since we've done the first one. Every year that goes by, we talk about it and I get my hopes up, but it doesn't happen. I'm glad to run across it gaining some steam 'cause I practice recollect information technology would exist a lot of fun, getting that band dorsum together. But I also don't wait for it, actually. Y'all've merely gotta go forwards with other things that are existent. It looks real. I don't wanna say information technology doesn't look real, simply I've been burned before. Fool me once, shame on y'all. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Have you been watching Season 3 of Westworld from dwelling house?

MARSDEN: I take been, aye.

What accept yous thought most information technology?

MARSDEN: It's strange to watch it without seeing me in information technology. To exist honest, the design of the evidence is such that, even in the kickoff and 2d seasons that I was a part of, there'due south so much happening in other storylines and on other sets that don't include you, that when you lot sit down downwardly and watch it all, at that place were nonetheless things for me, as one of the actors who was involved in shooting it, that I was trying to figure out, every bit well. I read every script, but that changes during the season. It also changes, once the principal photography is over with and they get in the editing room. They get clever with certain ways to edit the scenes and move things effectually. Even in the outset and 2d flavour, information technology was similar watching a show that yous're non really a part of. Now, it actually feels like a show that I'chiliad not a part of, but I'm just a fan of. It's a absurd matter, to be a part of something that you're besides a super fan of. This flavour, I get to sit back and just be a super fan, which is cool.

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Prototype via HBO

You've said that you're kind of at your limit with invisible co-stars, between Hop and Sonic, but would yous like to meet a Sonic sequel happen? Is it a globe that y'all would desire to render to, if a sequel were to happen?

MARSDEN: Oh, for sure. Yeah, absolutely. I wanna say that nosotros got lucky, only I think we made the movie that Sonic should be. You're never gonna delight everybody. I have iii kids, one's seven, ane's 14 and ane'southward 19, and we e'er have that conversation, "What kind of flick can we sit around and watch, all together, that's going to entertain me and the little one, that's not likewise developed for the little one, but that'southward too gonna entertain the older ane?" And this is perfectly information technology. Information technology has that perfect balance, where everybody can have a good time. At that place's a plenty of activity, set pieces, and heart. I know everyone e'er says this when they promote a picture show, simply I'yard actually proud of the terminate product. I'yard happy that we listened to the fans and adjusted his look. I think we got lucky when we released it. It was one of the last movies to come out before this whole world shut down. And information technology was so much fun to watch Jim Carrey render to form. I'd honey to do another one. I think people would be excited to see it.

Sonic the Hedgehog is bachelor on digital from Paramount Habitation Entertainment, and volition be on 4K Ultra Hd, Blu-ray, DVD and for rental on-demand on May 19th.

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Prototype via Paramount Pictures

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