The Mystery of Paramount's Sonic Movie Trailer: A Publicity Stunt or Dumb Luck?

People often wonder if there is such a thing as bad publicity, and sometimes, the absence of publicity can be even worse. A viral story has been circulating that Paramount deliberately released only the trailer for the Sonic movie with the original design to generate hype and that the plan to fix the design was there all along. But is this really the case?

Why Would They Waste Money on That?

Some argue that it would be a waste of money to deliberately mislead the audience with the original Sonic design. The company even produced merch for the old Sonic, which some find horrifying. The costs associated with this "deliberate marketing scheme" are unknown, but they would surely add up. Why take such a risk for a potential gain when they could simply fix the issue faster and more efficiently?

A Dumb Studio or a Smart PR Move?

Others speculate that the studio is simply being overly cautious and not learning from its past mistakes. Perhaps the makers of big blockbusters and prominent TV series should embrace a more transparent approach. Publishing the entire script online before a single frame is shot could allow fans to vent their frustrations beforehand and the actual movie or episodes could then benefit from necessary course corrections. If fans dislike certain elements, they could be removed or improved before production even starts.

For example, if fans didn't like the characters Jar Jar Binks and midichlorians, they could be cut from the movie. If a storyline involves a character like Daenerys going psycho and burning cities, it's a controversial choice that can be reconsidered. If John Connor is killed off in a movie after two previous movies focused on securing his future, maybe he should live. These decisions can be adjusted to make the audience happier.

Is It a Stunt or Lousy Luck?

Many believe that this could be a publicity stunt designed to generate attention and buzz. If the changes were made to the main character, it would ruin the narrative of the movie. The studio could have initially released a proof of concept or a pitch video, believing it to be harmless. However, when the original trailer was released, the studio realized the Sonic model was awful and decided to redo the design and film new footage around it. However, the old footage couldn't be discarded, and someone came up with the idea to use it as a PR stunt.

Would the studio bosses dare to pull off such a stunt? It seems too risky and too outlandish for them to approve. Instead, an idea from a lower-level employee might have been pitched to the studio heads, who, despite the risks, might have thought it was worth trying. This combination of a publicity stunt and a poorly managed PR strategy could explain the situation.

In the end, it remains a mystery. The truth may never be fully revealed, and people will continue to speculate about the motives behind the release of the Sonic movie trailer. Was it a publicity stunt, a demo gone wrong, or simply bad luck? The real answer may be somewhere in between, but the question itself will persist.