Angry Birds, from Mobile Application to #1 Movie in America

Rovio Entertainment Ltd.

Angry Birds started as a simple mobile application video game that launched in 2009; where the user launches birds at structures with pigs in order to knock them down and score points. After having several spin off special edition games, including three based off popular movies (Star Wars, Transformers, and Rio, Angry Birds finally starred in a movie themselves. The film was produced by Sony Pictures animation department for around $73 million. After its first weekend opening the Angry Birds movie sits at the top of the box office with $39 million from the U.S. market alone (Graham, 2016).

Open #AngryBirdsAction when the #AngryBirdsMovie end credits roll and cast some #MovieMagic! https://t.co/8xTA4dKrwl pic.twitter.com/TXHztJ0u7Z

— Angry Birds (@AngryBirds) May 23, 2016

Rovio the company that created the original Angry Birds application is also promoting their new game Angry Birds Action by offering exclusive content if you have the application open during the end credits of the movie. The exclusive content includes a bonus movie scene and extra levels in the new game (2016, Summers). Apparently this is not the only real world interactivity the game has Rovio has also partnered with LEGO to feature QR codes in their Angry Birds playsets; Along with McDonald and their QR codes on their Happy Meals that unlock an additional “Whack-a-Pig” game (2016, Summers). This is a clear example of just how far pop culture can take a simple product like the Angry Birds game and make it explode into a wide array of industries. After six years and over three billion downloads since the first launch, one is wondering when will the Angry Birds every stop soaring (Robertson, 2015).

References:

Graham, Luke. (2016, May 22). ‘Angry Birds’ movie catapults to top of box office. CNBC. Retrieved from: http://www.cnbc.com/2016/05/23/angry-birds-movie-catapults-to-top-of-box-office.html

Robertson, Andy. (2015, July 16). 'Angry Birds 2' Arrives 6 Years And 3 Billion Downloads After First Game. Forbes. Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/andyrobertson/2015/07/16/angry-birds-2/#ba5650720844

Rovio Entertainment Ltd. (2015, March 10). Retrieved from: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/angry-birds-free/id409807569?mt=8

Summers, Nick. (2016, April 28). 'The Angry Birds Movie' credits will unlock game content. Engadget. Retrieved from: http://www.engadget.com/2016/04/28/angry-birds-action-movie-unlock/

AMC Tries To Diversify Movie Experience

Source: Rolling Stones

Text messaging became popular in the early 2000’s and ever since then movie theaters across America have had a firm stance against texting during the movies. For the past few years however there seems to be news stories ever so often about the idea of allowing texting while in the theater and they all meet major resistance (Workman, 2016). One of the biggest conversations on this topic recently happened last month; when Adam Aron, the CEO of AMC theaters, tweeted that AMC would begin limited test screenings of movies with texting allowed. The public responded rather quickly with a resounding “no thank you”. The backlash was so apparent that AMC found it necessary to release an official statement along with a follow up tweet. AMC heard their customers loud and clear and is taking their suggestions to heart. It seems AMC will have to find another way to attract the millennial crowd they are looking for.

NO TEXTING AT AMC. Won't happen. You spoke. We listened. Quickly, that idea has been sent to the cutting room floor. pic.twitter.com/JR0fo5megR

— AMC Theatres (@AMCTheatres) April 15, 2016

When I first saw AMC's proposal in my Facebook feed I thought it was a fake article meant to stir up commotion. The idea that a movie theater would allow texting in a theater after preaching “please turn off your phones” before every movie for over the past decade seems a bit ironic. One alternative to texting in theaters that has been proposed is offering movie premiers in customer’s houses via set-top boxes. The idea of a set-top box that streams new releases seems slightly more plausible to me than allowing texting in movie theaters. However companies are finding it difficult to persuade distributing studios to play along (Lang, 2016). I would be surprised if either of these ideas find their way to the masses anytime soon with the major sticking points they are currently facing.

References: 

Lang, Brent. (2016, March 9). Studios, Exhibitors Consider Revolutionary Plan for Day-and-Date Movies at Home (EXCLUSIVE). Variety. Retrieved from: http://variety.com/2016/film/news/studios-exhibitors-consider-revolutionary-plan-for-day-and-date-movies-at-home-exclusive-1201725168/

Susman, Gary. (2013, October 15). Should Movie Theaters Allow Texting?. Rolling Stones. Retrieved from: http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/should-movie-theaters-allow-texting-20131015 

Workman, Karen. (2016, April 14). Texting in Movie Theaters? AMC Backs Off After Criticism. The New York Times. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/15/movies/texting-in-movie-theaters-the-internet-does-not-approve.html?_r=0