You might think you’re really good at Angry Birds, but clearly the king of the incredibly addictive game is Sony Pictures. That studio has defeated all comers to win the rights to produce the Angry Birds Movie, which has a release date set of July 1, 2016.
Having “Despicable Me” producer John Cohen on board will definitely help turn the world’s most popular app into a popular film, but it’s still going to be a challenge. And what happens if Angry Birds aren’t hot in three years (which is very possible)? This deal would have been a better idea three years ago, meaning the movie would be coming-out this summer. I’ve seen a lot of Angry Birds merchandice on store shelves since Christmas, and the stuff doesn’t seem to be selling.
The Angry Birds Movie news got me thinking about some other chancy animated films that are in the works:
– “Lego”: Warner Bros. is hoping that this all-time classic toy will work on the big screen. YouTube is filled with amateur Lego movies, many of them very funny. This story is in the hands of “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord. A pretty good fit. 2/7/14
– “Big Hero 6”: Disney’s first attempt to adapt a Marvel comics, but this crime fighter series is unknown to most people, even diehard Marvel fans. It’s being directed by “Winnie the Pooh”‘s Don Hall, which make the project even more interesting. 11/7/14
– “Minions”. This should be a no-brainer, as these little yellow guys were the break-out stars of the first “Despicable Me” and are expected to rule this summer’s sequel. Still, it’s interesting to release a spin-off right on the heels of “DM2”. 12/19/14
– “Peanuts”: Blue Sky is taking-on the ultimate challenge – bringing the beloved Charles Schultz characters back to the big screen, where they’ve been less than successful. There’s no doubt that Charlie Brown, Snoopy and company are still extremely popular with adults (the ratings for their holiday specials go up every year). But a feature-length, theratrical film? Without a young audience this movie could struggle at the box office, and I’m not sure a lot of kids know/care about these kids. But I know I’ll be there opening day! 11/6/15