“Knuckles,” Paramount+‘s original event series, has set an impressive global record with over 4 million hours streamed during its first weekend. This achievement not only makes it the most-streamed original series on the network, but also the highest-rated among kids and family titles on Paramount+.
The series debut also had a positive domino effect on other Sonic the Hedgehog titles available on the platform, with global viewership rising by 278 percent compared to the daily average.
Commenting on achieving a milestone with the new show, Jeff Grossman, Executive Vice President, Programming, Paramount+ said, “The Sonic the Hedgehog fans came out in full-force … We’re so thrilled with the record-breaking performance of “Knuckles” and the incredible lift the whole Sonic universe has experienced following the “Knuckles” premiere.”
“Knuckles” is a six-episode event series and the latest addition to the ‘Cinematic World of Sonic the Hedgehog’ from Paramount Pictures and SEGA of America. Unfolding between the films Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Knuckles (Idris Elba), embarks on a humorous and action-packed journey of self-discovery. The storyline revolves around Knuckles agreeing to train Wade (Adam Pally) as his protégé and guiding him in the ways of the Echidna warrior.
Pally reprises his role as Wade Whipple from the film franchise whilst the ensemble cast includes Stockard Channing (“The West Wing”), Edi Patterson (“The Righteous Gemstones”), Scott Mescudi (Don’t Look Up), Ellie Taylor (“Ted Lasso”), Julian Barratt (Mindhorn, “The Mighty Boosh”), Rory McCann (“Game of Thrones”), Cary Elwes (Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning), Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future), Paul Scheer (“Black Monday”), and Rob Huebel (“Childrens Hospital”). Special guest stars Ben Schwartz and Tika Sumpter reprise their roles as Sonic and Maddie, respectively whilst Colleen O’Shaughnessey also returns as a special guest star in her role as Tails.
The entire key creative team from the films have returned for the series, including the films’ director Jeff Fowler, who directed the pilot episode and helped transition the film’s signature cinematic animation style to television, as well as Neal H. Moritz, Toby Ascher, John Whittington, Idris Elba, Haruki Satomi, Shuji Utsumi and Toru Nakahara, who also served as executive producers. Additional directors on the series include Ged Wright, Brandon Trost, Jorma Taccone and Carol Banker.
John Whittington and Toby Ascher created the television series and oversaw its production. Whittington, who co-wrote Sonic the Hedgehog 2, served as head writer and wrote the pilot episode. Other writers for the series include Brian Schacter and James Madejski.
Besides streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., Canada, the UK, Latin America, Australia, South Korea, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Japan, “Knuckles” will stream on SkyShowtime in the Nordics, the Netherlands, Spain and Central and Eastern Europe.
The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.
