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Animated Angry Birds TV series rolling out autumn 2012

Movie pushed back

Animated Angry Birds TV series rolling out autumn 2012
Rovio is set to launch a weekly Angry Birds animated TV show this autumn.

The animated series will be comprised of 52 episodes each lasting between two-and-a-half and three minutes each.

"We're going to roll it out on all possible devices," said Rovio's head of animation Nick Dorra speaking at the MIPTV conference in Cannes.

"We're looking at building a video app for that, and we're also looking at partnerships and so on... We want to be on all screens."

Flinging to a cinema near you

Rovio's lucrative Angry Birds franchise is also slated to hit the silver screen, although not any time soon.

Dorra offered an update on the Angry Birds movie confirming "it's in development, but it won't be out in 2013 or 2014."

"You'll have to bide your time and first watch all of our shorts!"

Explaining how Angry Birds would engage audiences as a TV series and movie instead of a game, Dorra explained that Rovio wishes to explore the character's anger

"It's about telling more engaging stories... and deeper thoughts, deeper feelings of the characters, such as why are they always angry?"

Building up the nest

Rovio's long expressed interest in expanding the Angry Birds franchise after acquiring Finnish animation studio Kombo and Marvel Studio's former chairman David Maisel to broaden the horizons of the mobile hit in June 2011.

"In the US, people watch 150-160 hours of television every month, but the top apps are already bringing 20 hours per month. That's huge, and it's just the beginning," said Dorra explaining Rovio's move to TV.

Rovio is still riding on the successful worldwide launch of Angry Birds Space, which totalled 20 million downloads in its opening week.

The Finnish publisher will release more Angry Birds projects in 2012 but also plans to launch a completely new IP this year.

[source: The Guardian]

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