Sony Developing Emoji-Heavy Movie Pitch
Not long after ArcadeCon 2015, we announced the release of a small movie called Sharktopus Vs. Whalewolf. We at The Arcade thought a project like that was out of the ordinary. Well, as you may have guessed, in just under a month, the movie industry has outdone itself!
Deadline reports that Sony is developing a pitch for an emoji movie. No shit!
According to Mike Fleming Jr., “In a deal near seven figures, Sony Pictures Animation won a three-studio auction for an animated movie pitch centering on the emoji.” Anthony Leondis (Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Masters) is set to direct the movie with Eric Siegel as co-writer.
Geektyrant.com is reporting this by asking, ” Emoji, Hollywood? That’s what we’re sinking to now?”. It is certainly left-field. Like any movie, there is no telling at this stage if it will be any good. Still, there is perhaps a perverse appeal to the movie if only for how unlikely it is.
For Sony, of course, the appeal is far more measurable. Fleming Jr. explains that emojis are appealing for both their cultural ubiquity, but also their status as public domain, meaning the studio doesn’t have to pay licensing fees to use them.
What do we make of a movie like this? Would you care to see it? What other social media tools could be deployed in Hollywood? Let us know in the comments!
