Henry Cavill’s mustache removal cost WB $25 million but Paramount only spent $5 million for redesigning an entire character.

Paramount could’ve almost ruined one of their best franchises with a small mistake at the beginning. While adapting Sega Games’ popular character Sonic the Hedgehog, the studio initially went for a more realistic design. It looked awful and nothing like the adorable character from the video games. A little design change later, Sonic the Hedgehog looked more like its video game counterpart.

A still from Sonic the Hedgehog | Credits: Paramount Pictures

It was truly a make-or-break moment for the character and the film. Interestingly, all the studio needed to spend was just $5 million in extra costs for the design change. It should be considered a huge win, given how Warner Bros. spent $25 million for the horrible work of removing Henry Cavill’s mustache in Justice League.

Paramount spent $5 million in course correction that made Sonic the Hedgehog a huge hit

The old design of Sonic the Hedgehog that fans hated | Credits: Paramount Pictures

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was released in theaters on December 20 and has earned nearly $100 million at the international box office. In December, Paramount announced a fourth film, set to return to the big screen in 2027. It appears that the franchise will continue to earn money for the studio.

However, all this success should be owed to Paramount’s one decision to listen to what the fans wanted. When the first film’s trailer dropped, there was a huge public outcry against the depiction of the central character. Sonic was designed to be more realistic, which gave him a truly hideous look. It didn’t work at all for fans, who raised the issue on social media pages.

When Paramount dropped its next promo material, Sonic looked more like the video game character that fans knew. The studio listened to the fans’ complaints and spent $5 million on changing the design of the character (via IndieWire). Some sources initially suggested that the studio spent north of $35 million for the design change (via X). However, the studios denied this claim.

It was also accused that the studio put enormous stress on the VFX team to finish the design in time, but the studio claimed that it was far from true. According to IndieWire, the studio’s low cost for the redesign was mainly due to the fact that the VFX work on the film was pending completion for the most part when they dropped the trailer.

Sonic the Hedgehog earned the studio $320 million at the box office against a budget of $90 million (via Box Office Mojo). It is a huge pay-off for a $5 million redesign, something Warner Bros. may never understand.

Warner Bros. spent $25 million on Henry Cavill’s VFX and still did a bad job

Henry Cavill in a still from Justice League | Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures

Henry Cavill‘s mustache debacle was popular in the mid-2020s, when he had to act simultaneously in Justice League and Mission: Impossible – Fallout. Cavill’s character had a mustache in Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible, which he started filming after the Justice League shoot. However, Cavill had to return to his clean-shaven Superman role for reshoots in the midst of filming MI.

Paramount refused to allow Cavill to shave his mustache and he had to play Superman with the mustache on. Warner Bros. then reportedly spent $25 million to digitally remove the mustache (via Business Insider). It is a huge amount just for a mustache and it is unfathomable when we compare the cost of Sonic’s redesign.

Sadly, the $25 million special effects did not impress fans as they quickly raised issues with the poor VFX work. They could see that Cavill’s mustache was digitally removed as he looked weird in many of the scenes.

Sonic the Hedgehog is now available for streaming on Paramount+, while Justice League is available on Max.