Rovio is reportedly preparing to launch an Angry Birds cartoon series consisting of 52 animated shorts which could be distributed through a video app for numerous mobile devices.
The Guardian reports that Nick Dorra, Rovio’s head of animation, told the MIPTV conference in Cannes that the series will appear later this year and each episode will last between two-and-a-half to three minutes.
Rovio is aiming to put the animated series ‘on all screens’ and is working on a video app for mobile devices to distribute the series, according to Dorra. It will also make the series available through Samsung’s smart TVs.
The games company is also working on an Angry Birds film which could see a release in 2013 or 2014.
Rovio wants to push the franchise beyond games and merchandise and into animation in order to capture an audience which may not be interested in gaming. Last year, it acquired Finnish animation company Kombo to create its animated series and also hired David Maisel, former chairman of Marvel Studios, to lead the creation of an Angry Birds movie.
According to Dorra, the company wants to use the medium to flesh out its range of characters.
“It’s about telling more engaging stories… and deeper thoughts, deeper feelings of the characters, such as why are they always angry?” said Dorra, saying that in the future, Angry Birds will be “less about the slingshot and … more about the characters.”
Dorra also said Rovio is working on new games based on a brand new IP which will see a release later this year.
