Fans of the iconic Sega videogame icon have been concerned for a while. But with the Sonic the Hedgehog movie trailer released, it appears all of our worst fears might be coming true. Could this finally topple Super Mario Bros The Movie as the worst film and gaming tie-in of all time?

Sonic originally debuted on consoles back in 1991, creating a character who has appeared in countless games, with sales of more than 800 million copies. And some of those titles rank among the best videogames of all-time. I still remember rushing to a friend’s house straight after school on Sonic Tuesday, and the excitement of the two-player mode introducing Miles ‘Tails’ Prower.

So it’s safe to say there’s a bit of a legacy to live up to, especially when so many people now will have started their videogame lives not even experiencing a time before Sonic existed.

Look deep into those eyes, and consider the road that led to Sony (of all people) originally acquiring the rights to the film version. As if the PlayStation didn’t contribute to the demise of the Dreamcast.

Still, there was reason to keep an open mind. Paramount eventually picked up the film, and Deadpool director Tim Miller was hired as executive producer as Jeff Fowler was chosen for his directorial debut.

Casting began with Ben Schwartz voicing the iconic hedgehog (best known as Jean-Ralphio Saperstein from Parks and Rec), former X-Man James Marsden as a sheriff who befriends Sonic, and Jim Carrey as Ivo Robotnik/Doctor Eggman .

And now the trailer is here, ahead of a November 2019 cinematic release

There are plenty of films which have managed to take characters associated with franchises aimed mainly at children, and craft something clever and enjoyable for audiences of all ages.

This does not appear to be one of them. Even the nice touch of putting the Sonic gold rings around the Paramount logo is undercut by the choice of Coolio for the trailer. Presumably because both were big in the 1990s, but anyone old enough to remember that will probably also recall the video featuring Michelle Pfeiffer and clips from the film Dangerous Minds.

Then we get a hedgehog which appears vaguely threatening, James Marsden with a constantly vacant look of slight bemusement, and clownish over-the-top Jim Carrey.

Somehow the Dr Robotnik moustache manages to be not extreme enough, and too absurd at the same time. But at least it distracts us from the terrible 90’s era put downs to Neal McDonough in the trailer.

If you were a veteran of the Sega vs Nintendo rivalry, you’ve experienced tough times over the years. So it seems slightly unfair that when Sonic the Hedgehog needs to match Detective Pikachu and Ryan Reynolds, it’s pitching itself as a 30-year delayed rival to Super Mario Bros The Movie…