The Angry Birds Movie Blu-ray/DVD Out 8/16 & Giveaway

The #AngryBirdsMovie is ready to take flight directly into your homes via Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray 3D combo pack and DVD (loaded with bonus material) on Tuesday, August 16th. The digital version made its debut on July 29th. The Angry Birds Movie had a very successful box office run and was based on the most downloaded app of all time (3.5 billion!); it quickly became one of the highest-grossing video game based films to date. We recently had the pleasure to speak with Producer, John Cohen [Ice Age; Despicable Me; Hop and many others – as Producer and Exec] and learned a little more about The Angry Birds Movie.

Let me start with the end – yes, there is going to be a sequel. Mr. Cohen says they knew this before The Angry Birds Movie was released as audiences screening it in theaters (kids and adults) would be emotional after seeing it. Cohen also states that he kept envisioning various scenarios and situations of the characters and wanting to know what and how they would react and/or do. When that happens you know there’s more. More personality. More what-if’s. More story.

Oh, those Hatchlings. If you’ve seen the movie did you just adore them?! Well, they’re the breakout stars much like the Minions from Despicable Me (also produced by John Cohen – along with other great movies). Voiced from Cohen’s own daughter and other cast and crew member’s children – the majority of dialogue is ad-libbed (trying to get small children to read or memorize lines wasn’t going to happen and it worked out great). Bonus: there is a short with the August 16th release titled: “The Early Hatchling Gets the Worm”.

If you’ve seen the movie, have you found any “Easter Eggs” in the movie yet? They have some! I asked and was pleased to learn this information. I’m always on the lookout for them. Pay attention to Piggy Island for a billboard on the play “Hamilton” and their own “50 Shades of Green” [hahaha]

Cohen did say that his favorite characters are Red, Chuck and Bomb along with the Hatchlings (and then a few more as it was very hard to just pick one and because he absolutely adores all the comedic actors that did the voices) – if you’re not familiar with the storyline and what the movie is about:

“Finally find out why the birds are so angry. The movie takes us to an island populated entirely by happy, flightless birds – or almost entirely. In this paradise, Red (Jason Sudeikis), a bird with a temper problem, speedy Chuck (Josh Gad), and the volatile Bomb (Danny McBride) have always been outsiders. But when the island is visited by mysterious green piggies, it’s up to these unlikely outcasts to figure out what the pigs are up to.”

Cohen was asked what types of actors he enjoys working with and how he chooses them. He responded by saying that to him it’s finding great comedian actors – ones that can ad-lib; especially since they provide the voices and are working alone (usually) sometimes for hours on end. I could hear the enthusiasm from his voice as he spoke of each actor and the respect he had for them all – considering this was a blank sheet as this was an original screenplay. One that came to fruition all because of an ingenious and super fun app from Rovio that has captured the attention of so many world-wide, including a Producer [that loved playing the game] wanting to tell its story – and all those hours he spent playing the game? Research … obviously!

By-the-way, what a star-studded voice cast The Angry Birds Movie has. In case you weren’t sure on who voices what: Jason Sudeikis (Red), Josh Gad (Chuck), Danny McBride (Bomb), Maya Rudolph (Matilda), Kate McKinnon (Stella), Sean Penn (Terence), Tony Hale (Ross), Keegan-Michael Key (Judge Peckinpah), with Bill Hader (Leonard), and Peter Dinklage (Mighty Eagle), plus more!

Blu-ray, DVD & Digital Extras Include: