History WhatCouldHaveBeen / SonicTheHedgehog

* ''Knuckles Chaotix'' was originally going to be an actual successor to ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles'', and be on the UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn rather than the 32X.%%http://forums.sonicretro.org/index.php?showtopic=32911

* The game was originally intended for an unreleased console with specs similar to the Game Gear. Later on after ''Tails' Skypatrol'' was released, it was intended to be ported to the UsefulNotes/GameBoy as a new game called ''Boon Boon Kabun'' with redrawn assets.

* A UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance version was planned, which would have used an ''VideoGame/OutRun''-style engine. However, when Sega of Japan saw the game, [[ExecutiveMeddling they insisted that Sega of America add 3D to it]] [[ChristmasRushed while still keeping the same production schedule]]. Sega of America was unable to rewrite the engine and the necessary features while still having it on store shelves at the same time as the other versions of ''Riders'', so the GBA version was scrapped.

* ''Sonic Generations'' almost had a [[UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable PSP]] port.

* The game, originally known as ''Sonic Synergy'', was designed for an unspecified third-party system. It was not supposed to be a UsefulNotes/WiiU game, but Sega forced the team to make the game into a Wii U exclusive to end their three-game mandate with Nintendo. Most of the quality issues stem from the developers trying to downgrade their game for the console.

* The studio Vision Scape Interactive pitched [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhrqSGBGNic a skateboarding game]] called ''Sonic Extreme'' for at least the UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}}, but Sega declined the pitch. The studio had previously worked with Sega on ''Sonic Heroes'', hence why they had the models for Sonic and Shadow. The demo was a DolledUpInstallment of a canned ''WesternAnimation/RocketPower'' game. The game was later retooled into the PC-game ''Tech Deck: Bare Knuckle Grind''.

* Simon "Stealth" Thomley developed a [[http://www.headcannon.com/hchc/SonicDS/ a proof-of-concept]] of the classic ''Sonic'' trilogy for the UsefulNotes/NintendoDS when he heard leaked news regarding a CompilationRerelease called ''Sonic Classic Collection'' (which was developed by The Creative Assembly). All of the games were recoded for the DS, and included the following extra features: Tails and Knuckles were added to the original ''Sonic the Hedgehog'', the elemental shields from ''Sonic the Hedgehog 3'' could be used in the first two games, and ''Sonic 3''[='=]s Special Stages had a LevelEditor that included two new spheres -- green ones that turn blue when touched, and pink ones that act as teleporters to another random pink sphere. Later in development, Stealth even wanted to include ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogMegamix'' in the collection, but he was unable to contact Sega during the first "Sonic Boom" event, and eventually realised that pitching ''Megamix'' as a commercial game was infeasible. Ultimately, Stealth was unable to make his take on the collection into a commercial game, but elements of it have since lived on in his collaboration with Christain Whitehead regarding the smartphone versions of ''Sonic 1'' and ''Sonic 2''.

* In 1994, [[Creator/MetroGoldwynMayer MGM]] optioned the rights to produce a ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' film. With Pen Densham (''Film/RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves'') as executive producer, MGM commissioned a script by Richard Jefferies (''Film/TheVagrant''), titled ''Sonic the Hedgehog: Wonders of the World'', which revolves around a divorced couple's son, Josh, who plugs his UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn running the ill-fated ''Sonic X-treme'' game into his father's computer, which he attempted to use to help finish his school paper revolving around a test pilot named Sonic that was killed in a freak accident ([[MythologyGag a reference]] to the [[http://info.sonicretro.org/Original_Story original backstory]] of Sonic during development of the [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog1 first game]]), that allows [[RogerRabbitEffect Sonic to enter the real world]] via CGI. At first Josh is impressed and Sonic forms a kinship with him, but things start to go awry when Sonic ends up causing trouble throughout the city, to the point where it starts to drain his power down. To make matters worse, Dr. Eggman also escapes the console and plots to take over the real world by revamping an abandoned amusement park, turning all the kids visiting there into his Badniks, and then, using the technology developed by Josh's father combined with the ancient Chaos Emeralds, plots to turn the world's natural wonders into digital copies so that he can program virtual reality experiences of them and charge high prices to those who want to see them. Sonic and Josh are chased by the kids-turned-Badniks throughout the park, and Sonic allows himself to be captured to help Josh escape. At the film's climax, Sonic and Josh team up to fight Dr. Eggman, and eventually all three are sucked back into the game console. With Sonic's power now restored, Eggman is ultimately defeated in the ensuing battle, [[WeWillMeetAgain but escapes to fight another day]], and Sonic decides to stay in the game in order to protect his world from Dr. Eggman. The film ends with Josh returning home and reuniting with his family, though after promising to put away the computer Josh [[SequelHook starts to play his console again]]. Jefferies had submitted the treatment to MGM before the studio pulled the plug on the project, citing creative and financial issues. After a failed attempt to pitch it at the newly-formed Creator/DreamWorksAnimation, the film was ultimately canned for good.

[[AC:''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006'']]
While this game was already a rushed, unfinished mess, it’s only made worse by several concepts that didn’t made it in the final version.
* Early tech demos from 2005 promised an actively changing day/night feature, an advanced physics engine, and a "free play" mode allowing players to control any of the characters, unbound by storyline. Due to the tight deadline, these had to be scrapped.
* Uncovered in the data was evidence that Metal Sonic was going to be given his own part in the game, including missions and even his own story. He's absent in the final game.
* Originally, Silver was going to have a purchasable "Light Chip" item that would allow him to run as fast as Sonic and Shadow. Due to the game being rushed out the door before being completed, the powerup was scrapped, and with nothing to replace it, he remained slow.
* Silver was originally conceived as a Mink named Venice, going through at least 5 different designs, one of them having a headband, and another with a yellow tuft of hair rather than the white-on-silver he has in the final game.
* [[http://board.sonicstadium.org/topic/20326-sonic-the-hedgehog-awakening-found-on-ex-silver-va-resume/ The resume on former Silver the Hedgehog actor Pete Capella's website]] lists ''Sonic the Hedgehog: Awakening'' on it. Not much is known about the project, but given that the list is in chronological order and Pete [[TheOtherDarrin was replaced by]] Creator/QuintonFlynn 2010 onwards, it seems fair to assume this is a project that was ultimately scrapped. Judging from its placement in the list, it's possible that it was a planned DLC expansion or sequel to ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006''.
* Developmental character profiles for the game say that Blaze wears a cape and is [[ACupAngst troubled by her chest size]]. These elements were scrapped by release.

* [[https://info.sonicretro.org/Sonic:_The_Movie_(Trilogy_Entertainment_film)#Sonic:_The_Movie An earlier screenplay]] reimagines Sonic as a teenage delinquet with an estranged scientist father who, in a freak accident, gains the ability to turn into the hedgehog and must rescue his father from "Dr. Paul Elleson" an EvilBiologist who creates mutants, including one with large fists named "Kentar" (nicknamed "Robotnik" and "Knuckles" respectively by Sonic). This InNameOnly adaptation was quickly vetoed by Sega.

* There have been rumors about an earlier screenplay, reportedly supervised by MGM executives (and briefly touched upon by the ''Console Wars'' book), which had the title character actually be a teenage schoolboy who, after a freak accident, gains the ability to transform into the blue hedgehog, powers and all. This InNameOnly adaptation was quickly vetoed by Sega.

* The game's theme song was originally an arrangement of the theme from the first two ''Sonic'' games; however, Creator/SegaTechnicalInstitute found out just before the game was due to ship that Dreams Come True owned the rights to the track (which Masato Nakamura, one of their members, had composed) and not Sega as they assumed, so lead composer Howard Drossin quickly whipped up a new jingle in two hours.

* The game's theme song was an arrangement of the theme from the first two ''Sonic'' games; however, the developers found out just before the game was due to ship that Dreams Come True owned the rights to the track (which Masato Nakamura, one of their members, had composed) and not Sega as they assumed, so Howard Drossin quickly whipped up a new jingle in two hours.

* The game had its own version of the early Sonic theme; however, the music development team found out that Masato Nakamura owned the rights to the track and not Sega as they assumed, so Howard Drossin quickly whipped up a new jingle.
* A prototype shows possible cut scenes or at least stills of Eggman viewing Sonic's progress through the Veg-O Fortress. The Machine stage also had a different tune.

* Developer Realtime Associates was contracted by Sega of America [[http://www.seganerds.com/2013/09/08/realtime-associates-almost-developed-a-sonic-the-hedgehog-game-for-saturn/ to develop a Sonic game for the Saturn's launch]]. However, Sega of Japan did not approve of the deal and thus Realtime Associates concentrated their effort on their original IP, ''VideoGame/{{Bug}}'' (which Sonic himself would end up [[TheCameo cameoing]] in). It wouldn't be until 2008 that a Sonic game developed by Realtime Associates would be released, the game itself being ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' for the Franchise/{{LeapFrog}} Didj.

* ''Sonic the Hedgehog 2''

** Creator/JasonMomoa was considered for the voice of Knuckles before Creator/IdrisElba was cast. Momoa turned it down due to contractual obligations to ''[[Film/{{Aquaman}} Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom]]''.

** Though Jeff Fowler and Tim Miller had always eyed Creator/BenSchwartz as the voice of the title role, the studio had suggestions in the event Schwartz was unavailable. Among the people considered as backups for Sonic included Pratt, Rudd (both of whom would've played Tom ''and'' Sonic [[TalkingToHimself at the same time]]), Creator/TomHolland, Creator/WillForte, Creator/CharlieDay, Creator/AdamDevine, Creator/JimParsons, Creator/AndySamberg, Creator/BillHader and Creator/JoshGad.

* According to one of the early character bibles, originally planned to introduce a new main character in Adventures called Merlina (no not the Merlina from ''Sonic and the Black Knight''). A clumsy and not very skilled witch who has the body of a young Elvira but with the spunky attitude of Roseanne and who who hates to be rushed. She and Sonic of course would have butted heads, and Tails would have to act as the peacemaker between the two of them.
** Another concept from an early series bible would have centered around Sonic and Tails teleporting across planets via "Dimensional Door Rings", each of which was conquered or targeted by Dr. Robotnik. One variation of this pitch appears to be episodic, featuring Sonic, Tails and the aforementioned Merlina traveling to various different planets. Another take was more story heavy, scaling the amount of planets down to 5 with each getting a 13 episode StoryArc along with an overall MythArc of Sonic and Tails searching for the six Chaos Emeralds and encountering a freedom fighting group on each planet. Interestingly, one of the proposed planets would have been ''Earth'' conquered by Robotnik.

* According to one of the early character bibles, originally planned to introduce a new main character in Adventures called Merlina (no not the Merlina from ''Sonic and the Black Knight''). A clumbsy and not very skilled witch who has the body of a young Elvira but with the spunky attitude of Roseanne and who who hates to be rushed. She and Sonic of course would have butted heads, and Tails would have to act as the peacemaker between the two of them.

* A third ''Sonic'' cartoon, titled ''Super Sonic Sisters'' was planned to be produced alongside ''Adventures'' and ''[=SatAM=]''. This series would have been targeted at the female demographic and focused on Monica and Isabel, Sonic's [[PolarOppositeTwins Polar opposite twin]] cousins, with [[RedOniBlueOni Isabel being the Red Oni to Monica's blue Oni]]. Isabel and Monica would attend Mobius Moon High and run the school's news program, ''Comet Tails''. The twins' parents would have consisted of [[MasculineGirlFeminineBoy a mother who's a mechanic and a father who's a chef]]. Other characters would have included Obnotnik, Dr. Robotnik's nephew who is always trying to one-up the twins, Ms. Astral Dawn, the twins' mentor and a former astronaut and anchorwoman from Mobius News Network, Cal Tech, the Mobius Moon High one-team tech crew, and Mr. Straighten Narrow, the school's by-the-book principal who keeps the twins' schoolwork and careers in balance. Sonic himself would have appeared in an episode titled "Space Weighs For No One" as a fitness coach who who helps Isabelle back into shape after a rival school's coach feeds her one of Robotnik's instant weight-gain bars. ''Super Sonic Sisters'' never made it past early development documents.

* Creator/JimCummings was originally brought on for the voice of Robotnik in the pilot. When the series premiered, the role was given over to Long John Baldry, although Cummings would voice Robotnik in the [=SatAM=] series.

* In 1994, [[Creator/MetroGoldwynMayer MGM]] optioned the rights to produce a ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' film. With Pen Densham (''Film/RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves'') as executive producer, MGM commissioned a script by Richard Jefferies (''Film/TheVagrant''), titled ''Sonic the Hedgehog: Wonders of the World'', which revolves around a divorced couple's son, Josh, who plugs his UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn running the ill-fated ''Sonic X-treme'' game into his father's computer, which he attempted to use to help finish his school paper revolving around a test pilot named Sonic that was killed in a freak accident ([[MythologyGag a reference]] to the [[http://info.sonicretro.org/Original_Story original backstory]] of Sonic during development of the [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog1 first game]]), that allows [[RogerRabbitEffect Sonic to enter the real world]] via CGI. At first Josh is impressed and Sonic forms a kinship with him, but things start to go awry when Sonic ends up causing trouble throughout the city, to the point where it starts to drain his power down. To make matters worse, Dr. Eggman also escapes the console and plots to take over the real world by revamping an abandoned amusement park, turning all the kids visiting there into his Badniks, and then, using the technology developed by Josh's father combined with the ancient Chaos Emeralds, plots to turn the world's natural wonders into digital copies so that he can program virtual reality experiences of them and charge high prices to those who want to see them. Sonic and Josh are chased by the kids-turned-Badniks throughout the park, and Sonic allows himself to be captured to help Josh escape. At the film's climax, Sonic and Josh team up to fight Dr. Eggman, and eventually all three are sucked back into the game console. With Sonic's power now restored, Eggman is ultimately defeated in the ensuing battle, [[WeWillMeetAgain but escapes to fight another day]], and Sonic decides to stay in the game in order to protect his world from Dr. Eggman. The film ends with Josh returning home and reuniting with his family, though after promising to put away the computer Josh [[SequelHook starts to play his console again]]. Jefferies had submitted the treatment to MGM before the studio pulled the plug on the project, citing creative and financial issues. After a failed attempt to pitch it at the newly-formed Creator/DreamWorks, the film was ultimately canned for good.

* Five years after MGM's attempt to bring Sonic to the silver screen failed, Ben Hurst, one of the writers for ''WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM'', attempted to pitch a movie in an attempt to revive the old Saturday Morning universe, this time fully animated. However, it's said that Creator/KenPenders, then-head writer of ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'', got wind of this attempt and, after initially working with Ben, apparently killed his attempt by claiming to Sega that he was trying to co-opt the franchise. To add insult to injury, Penders ''then'' brought up his own concept for a movie in 2002. The concept, titled ''Sonic Armageddon'', [[http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyktrobz2X1rnsvazo1_1280.jpg had]] [[http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lylc0kRkIL1rnsvazo1_1280.jpg four]] [[http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lymvifew3F1rnsvazo1_1280.jpg concept]] [[http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lynaxxdjHE1rnsvazo1_1280.jpg pieces]] created, and Penders even [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNteN_qlHp0 made a homemade pitch video]] to show to SEGA executives. The movie seems to work in the idea that Mobius would have been destroyed and that roboticization would be a [[DarkerAndEdgier much more gruesome procedure]] than was shown in the cartoons and comics. A number of major characters are not shown and a few of them have major redesigns, the biggest being Snively, who's now more cyborg-like. Creator/DreamWorksAnimation, whose [[Creator/DreamWorks then-parent company]] had a partnership with Sega, was Penders' alleged choice to produce the planned film ([[GodNeverSaidThat he later stated otherwise]]). There was some interest, but at the time ''Anime/SonicX'' was being made and they felt it wouldn't be worthwhile to have two running series in two different continuities, so it was backburnered, then dropped completely.%%For more information, please see this article: http://www.sonicsatam.com/information/the-lost-3rd-season/

[[caption-width-right:350:Early enemy concept art for [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog1 the first game]], showing early pre-badnik enemies, a bee-colored Eggman, and Sonic's girlfriend [[DamselInDistress Madonna]].]]

** There was discussion about Creator/DwayneJohnson (who was used as a ShoutOut in the first movie) appearing in the movie, with some suggesting he would play [[ActingForTwo two roles, one of which would be a voice role]] (believed to be Knuckles, before Momoa and Elba were approached). He ended up being unavailable when ''Film/BlackAdam'' started filming, so the idea was dropped.

* Part of Sega's 2020 plans was to host their (then annual) Sonic panel at SXSW with the intent of announcing new stuff related to the franchise. When the pandemic (then an outbreak at the time) ensured that SXSW couldn't be held, Sega planned to reveal the announcement meant for March in April via a new format. A few days before the announcement's intended release, Sega delayed said announcement as the pandemic tightened its grip on the world. Sega would ultimately host a Sonic Central livestream on May 27th, 2021 with a slew of new announcements (including ''VideoGame/SonicColors {{U|pdatedRerelease|ltimate}}'' and ''[[CompilationRerelease Sonic Origins]]'') culminating with a teaser for the then-untitled ''VideoGame/SonicFrontiers'', though, it is not confirmed if the announcements shown in the livestream were intended to be for 2020 prior to the pandemic.