From Slinging Birds to the Silver Screen: Why Did Angry Birds Get a Movie?
The transition from a mobile game to a feature film is a rare feat, and the story of Angry Birds making that leap is one of strategic ambition, leveraging brand recognition, and the enduring appeal of its quirky characters. Essentially, Angry Birds got a movie because Rovio Entertainment recognized the immense global popularity of its franchise and saw the potential to expand its brand reach and revenue streams beyond the gaming world. The success of the game, combined with the growing trend of adapting popular properties into films, created a perfect opportunity for Rovio to explore cinematic storytelling. The move was a bold gamble that aimed to solidify Angry Birds as a transmedia powerhouse, capable of entertaining audiences on multiple platforms.
The Seeds of Cinematic Ambition
The journey to the big screen wasn’t an overnight success. It was a carefully planned strategy fueled by several factors:
Brand Recognition and Global Phenomenon
The Angry Birds game, launched in 2009, quickly became a global sensation. Its simple yet addictive gameplay, coupled with its unique cast of characters, resonated with audiences across all age groups and geographical locations. This widespread popularity meant that there was a pre-existing audience for a potential film, reducing the risk associated with introducing an entirely new intellectual property to the market. The sheer number of downloads and active players gave Rovio a strong indication that a movie would have a substantial built-in audience.
The Success of Angry Birds Toons
Before the feature film, Rovio tested the waters with the “Angry Birds Toons” animated series. According to Rovio employee Jami Laes, the success of this series “validated” the idea of creating a full-length movie. This series proved that the characters could translate well to a longer-form narrative format and further cemented their popularity beyond the game. The animated series laid a foundation for the kind of humor and storytelling that would ultimately be explored in the movie.
Economic Incentives and Brand Expansion
Beyond creative expression, there were clear economic incentives. A feature film offers a significant opportunity for revenue generation through box office sales, merchandise, and various licensing deals. Moving into the film industry allowed Rovio to not just expand their brand but also generate different revenue streams, making them less reliant solely on the success of their games. The movie was viewed as a way to keep the Angry Birds brand fresh and relevant in the ever-evolving entertainment landscape.
The Trend of Video Game Adaptations
The success of other video game adaptations paved the way for Angry Birds. Films like the Resident Evil franchise and Tomb Raider, while varied in their reception, demonstrated that there was an audience for video game-based movies, and that these could achieve commercial success, opening up a path that Rovio was eager to follow. This trend gave Rovio the confidence that a compelling story based on their game could also capture the attention of moviegoers.
The Creative Opportunity
The Angry Birds game, with its simple premise of birds battling pigs, was intentionally straightforward. This left a lot of room for creative exploration. The film offered a space to flesh out these characters, give them backstories and create a narrative arc that would have been impossible within the constraints of a puzzle game. The movie provided a platform for the characters to evolve and offered a different kind of interaction with their fanbase.
The Result: Angry Birds on the Big Screen
The decision to bring the Angry Birds to the cinema culminated in “The Angry Birds Movie,” released in 2016, with a sequel, “The Angry Birds Movie 2,” following in 2019. These films were filled with vibrant animation, humor, and a story that built upon the original game’s premise. While reception was mixed, both films proved that the Angry Birds had successfully leaped from gaming screens to the big screen, fulfilling Rovio’s goal of expanding its brand reach and revenue generation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Was Angry Birds a movie or a game first?
Angry Birds was a game first. It’s a Finnish video game franchise created by Rovio Entertainment, which started with the release of the original game in late 2009. The movie adaptation came much later.
2. What happened to the original Angry Birds game?
The original game, Rovio Classics: Angry Birds, was removed due to its negative impact on Rovio’s wider games portfolio. Unlike its sequels, the classic version was a paid download without in-app purchases, which conflicted with their strategy of free-to-play games.
3. Why did Rovio remove the original Angry Birds?
Rovio announced the delisting was due to “the game’s impact on [its] wider games portfolio”, as it was a paid download conflicting with the free-to-play model they preferred for their other games.
4. What is the message of The Angry Birds Movie?
The main message of The Angry Birds Movie is that anger, while often seen as negative, can be justified under certain circumstances, like defending loved ones. It shows that anger used for selfish reasons is destructive, but it’s acceptable when used for protection.
5. Are The Angry Birds Movies good for children?
The Angry Birds Movie 2 is an animated comedy with some adult concepts and slapstick violence. It is not recommended for children under five years old, and parental guidance is suggested for children aged 5-7 years.
6. What was the inspiration for the story of “The Birds”?
The film The Birds was partly inspired by real-life events of a mass bird attack in Capitola, California, in August 1961.
7. Which game was Angry Birds inspired by?
Angry Birds was inspired by a Flash game called Crush the Castle, which itself was inspired by an earlier game called Castle Clout.
8. What is the controversy surrounding Angry Birds?
Rovio Entertainment faced a lawsuit by the attorney general of New Mexico over the alleged illegal collection of data from children under the age of 13 who played the game.
9. Why was Rovio Classics: Angry Birds renamed to “Red’s First Flight”?
The renaming was due to the “impact” that the “Classics” name was having on its wider games portfolio. This rebrand was also an attempt to give a different focus to the classic game.
10. What was Angry Birds originally called?
The original Angry Birds game was simply called Angry Birds, and later, it became known as Rovio Classics: Angry Birds before being renamed Red’s First Flight.
11. Will there be an “Angry Birds 3” movie?
There are no current confirmed plans for an “Angry Birds 3” movie, but there are rumors of new projects, including a possible TV series in honor of the Franchise’s 15th Anniversary in November 12th, 2024
12. Is Rio connected to Angry Birds?
Yes, Angry Birds Rio was a crossover game with the movie Rio. There have been other crossovers as well, including Angry Birds Star Wars, and Angry Birds Transformers.
13. Who is Red’s girlfriend in Angry Birds?
While not explicitly a girlfriend in all media, Stella has shown romantic feelings for Red in the Angry Birds Comics and was portrayed as a childhood friend of his in Angry Birds: Summer Madness.
14. Why is it called Angry Birds?
The name arose from the premise of the game: pigs steal the birds’ eggs, causing them to launch themselves at the pigs with extreme anger.
15. Why did the Angry Birds game decline in popularity?
Rovio failed to diversify and innovate, relying too heavily on the success of the original game rather than exploring new markets and products, and later focusing more on free-to-play models rather than the paid classics that launched their brand.