Knuckles hits hard in record-breaking Paramount Plus debut as Sony eyes $26 billion Paramount takeover

The beloved echidna has powered his way to the top of Paramount Plus' TV charts

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It turns out thatKnuckleshas hit harder than any of us expected. TheSonicmovie spin-off, which only made its streaming debut last Friday (April 26), is already breaking records on Paramount Plus.

As confirmed onParamount Plus' social media channels, including X/Twitter, the echidna warrior’s standalone tale has become the most-streamed TV original in the service’s entire history.

Okay, Paramount’s streaming platform only launched three years ago, so there weren’t many shows standing inKnuckles' way. Still, considering that Paramount Plus is home to acclaimed series includingYellowstone,The Curse,Avatar: The Last Airbender(the animated original), and variousStar Trekofferings,Knucklesis punching above expectations and then some.

#Knuckles isn’t holding back any punches. Catch the six-episode event - NOW STREAMING on #ParamountPlus. pic.twitter.com/FfgX0PpOIXMay 2, 2024

Paramount hasn’t provided any official viewing figures for the Idris Elba-starring show, which is set between 2022’sSonic the Hedgehog 2and one of this year’snew moviesinSonic the Hedgehog 3. According toDeadline, though,Knucklesamassed four million minutes viewed during its three-day opening weekend.

Okay, that number is a far cry from the hundreds of millions of minutes that some of thebest Netflix showshave accumulated in recent years, but it’s a total large enough to makeKnucklesthe most-popular Paramount TV Original (and one of thebest Paramount Plus shows, based on its performance) ever. Not only that, but it’s also the most-watched family/kids title of all-time on the platform.

What makesKnuckles' success so unexpected is that, while it’s a fun, buddy cop-driven story that goes to some weird places (wait until you watch episode 4, trust me), it isn’t considered to be an unmissable video game adaptation like HBO’sThe Last of UsorPrime Video’sFalloutTV shows. PerRotten Tomatoes, it holds 72% critical and 74% audience ratings (at the time of writing), but that doesn’t mean it’s a complete knockout. In fact, I’d suggest youwatch these three great video-game TV shows instead ofKnuckles, especially if you want something that’s less kid-friendly.

Gotta go fast: Sony speeds up its reported Paramount buyout

Knuckles' popularity will be a boon for not one, but two big entertainment companies, though. Paramount Global, which develops and distributes the Sonic movies and its various tie-ins, will certainly be happy, but so willSonyGroup Corp.

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Why would Sony be delighted to seeKnucklesdoing so well? I’m glad you asked. For weeks now, rumors have swirled online that Sony – in partnership with Apollo Global Management Inc (an asset management company) – has been preparing a huge bid to buy Paramount Global. And, based on aBloombergreport that was published yesterday (May 2) that suggested an eye-watering $26 billion offer had been tabled, it seems the duo are one step closer to adding Paramount Global and its subsidiaries to Sony’s corporate portfolio.

Why is this such a big deal? For one, it’ll see two of the world’s biggest entertainment companies join forces. Well, provided that the Federal Trade Commissions, which attempted to blockMicrosoft’s $68.7 billion takeover of ActivisionBlizzardin 2023, doesn’t intervene on account of the potential impact it might have on competition in the entertainment industry.

From a wider entertainment perspective, however, if Sony purchases Paramount, it’ll own some of the most popular franchises in the world. That includes the live-actionSonicfilm universe, theMission: Impossiblefranchise, rights to theTransformersmovies, and more.

On the streaming front, it’ll finally own a proper streaming service, too. Yes, Sony already owns Crunchyroll, but it’s an anime-only platform. If Sony brings Paramount Global under its wing it’ll hoover up Paramount Plus as part of its takeover, which will mean it could make one of the world’sbest streaming serviceseven better by adding its vast library of film and TV franchises –Spider-Man,Ghostbusters, andJames Bondto name just three – to the service.

In short: if Sony acquires Paramount,Netflixand its streaming rivals might have to deal with a new major player in the form of an upgraded Paramount Plus.

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As TechRadar’s senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You’ll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.

An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as thisMoon Knight TV spot.

Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across.

Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.

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