twofour54 reveals key scenes of box office record breaker Sonic the Hedgehog filmed in Abu Dhabi
25 Mar 2020
twofour54, Abu Dhabi’s media and entertainment hub, revealed today exclusive footage from a behind the scenes shoot with the crew of Sonic The Hedgehog in the capital – as the Paramount Pictures flick gets ready for its digital release on March 31.
Key scenes from the comedy caper were shot with a 25-strong crew in the Emirate, capturing explosions and footage of the stunning landscape using helicopters and drones. The final edit shows ‘Sonic’ running at full speed through Abu Dhabi’s iconic Liwa Desert, which doubled as the dunes surrounding Egypt’s pyramids and sphynx, whilst coming under fire from his nemesis, Doctor Robotnik (Jim Carrey).
twofour54 provided full production services, including location assistance, travel, accommodation and transport services, as well as production management. Paramount, which also shot Mission: Impossible – Fallout in the capital in 2018, also took advantage of Abu Dhabi Film Commission’s generous 30% cashback rebate and tapped into twofour54’s pool of 700-plus freelancers to find the exact talent they needed to complete the shoot.
The movie stars James Marsden, Ben Schwartz (voicing the titular video game character famous for his incredible speed), Tika Sumpter alongside Jim Carrey.
Michael Garin, CEO of twofour54 Abu Dhabi, said: “Abu Dhabi is used to hosting major productions, whether it’s Hollywood hits like the Mission: Impossible franchise or Bollywood blockbusters such as Tiger Zinda Hai.”
“The fact that these productions choose Abu Dhabi as a filming location is a demonstration of the collaborative culture of Abu Dhabi and why we are seeing the world’s biggest studios, such as Paramount Pictures, returning to benefit from the production infrastructure on offer.”
Sonic The Hedgehog joins more than 90 major productions, including other Hollywood hits such as Netflix’s 6 Underground, that have used Abu Dhabi as a location in recent years, benefiting from its diverse array of locations, talented professionals, award-winning facilities and the 30% cashback rebate.
In addition to assisting Paramount Pictures throughout the shoot in Abu Dhabi, twofour54 was involved with the production of the Sonic The Hedgehog movie premiere in Los Angeles. Major events producer Joe Lewis Company (JLC) put on the premiere with the help of two Emirati interns, Mohammed AlBlooshi and Omar Muflahi, who were selected as part of twofour54’s youth development initiatives.
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