Rovio Entertainment Corporation, SEGA and Namit Malhotra’s production company Prime Focus Studios announced today that they are starting production on The Angry Birds Movie 3, with DNEG Animation attached as animation partner. Prime Focus Studios, Rovio and SEGA will produce the movie in association with One Cool Group, Flywheel Media and Dentsu.
“The Angry Birds brand knows no bounds, and an all-new Angry Birds adventure underscores how the worlds and narratives crafted in our games can seamlessly transcend into the realm of film and beyond,” said Alexandre Pelletier-Normand, CEO at Rovio Entertainment. “Rovio is fully committed to creating entertainment that sparks imagination across various platforms. We’ve seen continuous success in everything from games and feature films to licensed products and amusement parks, and we are thrilled to return once again to the vibrant Angry Birds world with our new partners.”
Crosby Clyse, Managing Director of DNEG Animation, added, “The Angry Birds games are a global phenomenon and the film franchise has enjoyed worldwide success. Our amazing DNEG Animation team is thrilled to be teaming up once again with Prime Focus Studios and with our new friends at Rovio to create an all-new high-velocity adventure set in this colorful, crazy world.”
The third installment in the franchise will follow the continuing adventures of Red and Chuck, voiced once again by Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso, SNL, We’re the Millers) and Josh Gad (Frozen, Beauty and the Beast, Gutenberg!, Murder on the Orient Express). Sudeikis is represented by Brillstein Entertainment Partners and TAG. Gad is represented by Sugar 23, CAA and JSSK. More casting news will be coming soon.
“Innovation is part of dentsu’s DNA and we are always looking for new and exciting projects to deliver differentiated, integrated growth opportunities for our clients. We believe in the positive impact of entertainment, creating meaningful connections between people and brands,” said Jean Lin, Global President – Global Practices, dentsu. “We are so proud to partner with Prime Focus Studios and DNEG Animation to help bring the next installment of the beloved global Angry Birds franchise to life.”
Don McGregor, Founder and CEO, Flywheel Media, noted, “The Angry Birds brand truly reflects the size and scale of content Flywheel Media are focusing on. We are thrilled to be joining forces with such incredible partners to deliver this film to audiences around the world.”
The new film follows the success of the first two Angry Birds movies, which together have grossed more than $500 million at the worldwide box office and have since delivered results on streaming platforms that are nothing to squawk at. The Angry Birds Movie opened at #1 in 50 countries on its release in 2016 and has grossed more than $350M at the worldwide box office. Rovio’s original mobile games, which spawned the animation franchise, surpassed 5 billion downloads in 2022.
“We are thrilled to announce that the brand-new film of the globally beloved and successful Angry Birds franchise is to be in production,” said Shuji Utsumi, President & COO at SEGA. “SEGA has been focusing on its Transmedia strategy to advance the value of its intellectual properties across games and diverse media landscapes. We believe that the upcoming The Angry Birds Movie 3 perfectly aligns with our strategy and presents a great opportunity for us to bring the charm of the Angry Birds brand to fans across the globe.”
The Angry Birds Movie 3 will be directed by John Rice (Angry Birds, Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe). The screenplay will be written by Thurop Van Orman (Angry Birds 2, Adventure Time; creator of The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack), who will also executive produce alongside Toru Nakahara (Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Prime, Golden Axe). The film will be produced by John Cohen (Despicable Me, The Garfield Movie, Angry Birds), Dan Chuba (The Mitchells vs. the Machines) and Carla Connor (The Willoughbys).
Returning to the Angry Birds design team is Jeanie Chang as production designer and Francesca Natale as character designer. The head of story is Vadim Bazhanov and the lead editor is Sarah K. Reimers. Storyboards, art development and animation will be handled by DNEG Animation.
Rovio and SEGA will produce alongside Namit Malhotra and his production company Prime Focus Studios, which recently co-produced The Garfield Movie with Alcon Entertainment. Prime Focus Studios is also currently in production on Animal Friends with Legendary Entertainment and Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort, and VFX-fueled Indian epic Ramayana with actor-producer Yash’s Monster Mind Creations.
“I’m delighted to be partnering with Rovio, SEGA, One Cool, Flywheel, dentsu, and the incredible team of returning filmmakers and voice talent on this movie. It’s an honor to be part of the next chapter in the amazing Angry Birds story,” Malhotra concluded. “Prime Focus Studios is in production on an impressive roster of high-profile features and I am excited that The Angry Birds Movie 3 will be the next big animated project on our slate after The Garfield Movie.”
