"Angry Birds," the popular video game for smart phones and tablets, is getting a sequel.
The new game, "Angry Birds Rio," is being released in conjunction with Twentieth Century Fox's animated feature "Rio." The movie hits theaters on April 15. The game will be released in late March.
"Angry Birds Rio is a match made in heaven for a mobile application and a major motion picture, and this collaboration with Fox is definitely one of the most exciting partnerships we have entered into with the 'Angry Birds' brand to date," Mikael Hed, CEO of the Finnish game developer Rovio Mobile, said in a written statement. "In addition to expanding the horizons of two fantastic entertainment brands and creating a great new gaming experience, we have also taken the concept of combining a mobile application and motion picture promotion to an entirely new level."
Fox's President of New Media and Digital Distribution Peter Levinsohn said in a written statement that "we are combining the world's hottest application developer with one of the motion picture industry's premier creative forces to introduce millions of fans of 'Angry Birds' to the exciting world of 'Rio.'"
In the new game, two rare macaws, Blu and Jewel — who are the stars of the movie "Rio" — are captured. The original Angry Birds are kidnapped, as well. Those birds escape and then try to save their friends.
The original "Angry Birds" has players use a slingshot to help a flock of birds battle a group of evil pigs who stole their eggs. It sells for 99 cents in the U.S. The $4.99 iPad version has been downloaded more than 200,000 times. An animated trailer promoting the game has been viewed more than five million times on YouTube.
Pricing for the new game has not been finalized and a Fox spokesman said it may include a free component.
