First there were Legos, the little plastic bricks that became a big hit when they were turned into a movie. More recently, there were Minions: tiny yellow, pill-shaped creatures that have taken over the world, even appearing as a burger in McDonald's Japan and being the central theme in one woman's wedding.
What more could the world ask for from the movie studios? Well, at least, we haven't seen an emoji movie yet. However, that is about to change, as Sony Pictures Animation has reportedly won a competitive bidding war against Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures for the rights to film a story being pitched by co-writers Eric Siegel and Anthony Leondis.
Deadline reports that Sony Pictures won the bidding with a seven-figure bid, although the entertainment website did not say exactly how much the film studio offered for the story. Unlike Legos, emoji are in the public domain and there are no copyrights to be purchased for using them, which is why Deadline hints of upcoming pitches that will surely push Sony Pictures to move ahead with its plans, and quickly, as there is no stopping Hollywood from featuring the digital hieroglyphs in their upcoming films.
Early naysayers say Sony Pictures could not have scrapped the bottom of the barrel harder, but the success of the Lego blockbuster movie and the world domination of Minions say otherwise. After all, emoji have become a huge part of many people's online conversations, and online is where all the world is going in the future. Also, the Egyptians and the Chinese, two of the oldest civilizations in the world, have used and are using something similar called logograms, or symbols that represent an entire word or idea, in their writing systems.
Leondis, who is known for directing Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Masters, a short animated feature that is included in the DVD/Blu-ray set of Kung Fu Panda 2, will be directing the film. He is also known for the upcoming B.O.O.: Bureau of Otherworldly Operations by DreamWorks Animation, which will feature the voices of Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Seth Rogen and Matt Bomer.
Siegel, on the other hand, is a writer and producer who most recently produced Men at Work for TBS. He has also sold several shows to Fox and NBC.
Be sure to follow T-Lounge on Twitter and visit our Facebook page.
Photo: The All-Nite Images | Flickr
