The Angry Birds franchise has some sharp competition on its hands — top-selling mobile game “Fruit Ninja” is now in development as a feature film.
Creator Halfbrick Studios have partnered with Tripp Vinson‘s eponymous production company — behind the recently announced “Rose Red” prequel at Disney — to bring it to the big screen as a family adventure, an individual familiar with the deal told TheWrap.
J.P. Lavin and Chad Damiani will write the script, the insider said. The film is currently planned as a live-action adaptation.
“Fruit Ninja” was a Top 5 Worldwide seller in 2015 per mobile analyst App Annie. The news comes on the day Rovio’s “The Angry Birds” hits theaters courtesy of Sony Pictures. That feathered film is eyeing a box office take of low-to-mid $40 million for its opening weekend.
Sony is also developing a movie around the ubiquitous Emoji app, which are emoticons widely used by smartphone owners.
As TheWrap exclusively reported in April, the Emoji film will recruit top-rated apps like Spotify as partners (likely to very lucrative ends) to featured in the film’s plot (the smiley faces enter the Spotify app, for example, and must sail a boat across the streaming music).