Angry Birds film opening worldwide July 1, 2016 through Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures Entertainment will handle the worldwide distribution rights to the Angry Birds film, which Sony Pictures will release July 1, 2016, according to a press release from the company.

Angry Birds developer Rovio Entertainment will develop, produce and finance. Producers John Cohen (Despicable Me) and David Maisel (former Marvel Studios chairman and Iron Man producer) have both signed on for the film.

"Every studio in town would love to add Angry Birds to their slate," said Michael Lynton , chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment and Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment in a combined statement. "There are few titles out there that bring this kind of excitement, brand awareness and built-in audience to the table. We're thrilled to be distributing this film and we hope this is just the beginning of what will be a long relationship with Rovio as we look for ways to work on future projects together."

The film will be Rovio's first foray into motion pictures, but the studio previously released the Angry Birds Toons cartoon series online. Yesterday, Sony's largest investor called for the company to sell a portion of Sony Entertainment, of which Sony Pictures Entertainment is a part.