Angry Birds movie coming in 2016

The ill-tempered fowl are getting their own film adaptation, as today Rovio announced an Angry Birds movie is due in 2016. Despicable Me producer John Cohen will be producing the film, and David Maisel (Iron Man) will serve as executive producer. Rovio itself is producing and financing the movie, presumably with its piles and piles of Angry Birds money.

The company says this will allow it to retain full creative control over the property, in a cue taken from Maisel from his time at Marvel Studios. Cohen, meanwhile, brings a wealth of experience in animated feature films, including working closely with studios while producing Ice Age, Robots, and Horton Hears a Who. The Alvin and the Chipmunks movie was also purportedly his idea, so now you know who to credit/blame.

"John's an exceptionally talented producer, and we're delighted to have him join the flock," said Rovio CEO Mikael Hed, in the announcement. "With John's hands-on producer background and David's expertise in establishing and running his own successful studio, these two are the dream team for making a movie outside the studio system. Both professionals have the ideal skills and vision to achieve incredible things."

Of course, 2016 is quite a whiles away. The real question for Rovio is: can the franchise sustain its red-hot popularity by then?