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Angry Birds Movie Is "Unexpectedly Smart," Actor Says

"And really beautiful," explains Josh Gad, who said he originally turned down the role.

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Angry Birds 2 is getting a lot of attention following its release last week, but the franchise is set to grow in a potentially bigger way next year with an Angry Birds animated movie. Now, one of the film's lead actors, Frozen's Josh Gad, says in a new interview that the movie will be "unexpectedly smart."

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Speaking with IGN, Gad said he originally turned down the role because he didn't want to play another animated character so soon after the massive success of Frozen, in which he played a sun-loving snowman named Olaf. But after hearing the pitch for the Angry Birds movie, Gad changed his mind.

"The producer was like, 'Just let me kind of pitch out this movie to you' and did this reel for me of what he was thinking about, and it was this 30-minute visual pitch and it blew my socks off," Gad said.

"It's really irreverent, and like that Lego Movie sensibility it's subversive and funny and unexpectedly smart and really beautiful. Actually gorgeous," he added. "The little I've seen of it has really impressed me."

Gad, who most recently appeared in the Adam Sandler video game movie Pixels, plays a character named Chuck in the Angry Birds picture. He is one of many comedy veterans with roles in the film; the full actor lineup is available below.

We don't know anything about the plot for the Angry Birds movie, but it's being written by veteran scribe Jon Vitti, who is perhaps best known for his work on The Simpsons. He wrote the famous "Mr. Plow" episode, among others.

The Angry Birds movie, which hits theaters on July 1, 2016, is developer Rovio Entertainment's first stab at a feature film. The studio has worked on smaller-sized video productions, however, as it is behind the Angry Birds Toons animated series, which has tallied more than three billion views to date.

The film is produced by visual effects and animation studio Sony Pictures Imageworks, and will be distributed around the world by Sony Pictures. Animated movie veterans Fergal Reilly (Spider-Man 2, The Iron Giant) and Clay Kaytis (Wreck-It Ralph, Tangled) are attached to direct.

Lead characters:

  • Jason Sudeikis -- (Saturday Night Live, Horrible Bosses) -- He plays the lead character, a bird named Red who has a "temper problem."
  • Josh Gad -- (Frozen, 21) -- He plays "speedy" Chuck.
  • Danny McBride -- (Eastbound & Down, This is the End) -- He plays the "volatile Bomb."
  • Bill Hader -- (Saturday Night Live, Superbad) -- He plays a pig.
  • Maya Rudolph -- (Bridesmaids, Saturday Night Live) -- She plays someone named Matilda.
  • Peter Dinklage -- (Game of Thrones, Destiny's Ghost) -- He plays a bird named Mighty Eagle.

Supporting cast (roles unspecified):

  • Keegan-Michael Key -- (Key & Peele)
  • Kate McKinnon -- (Saturday Night Live)
  • Tony Hale -- (Arrested Development)
  • Ian Barinholtz -- (Neighbors)
  • Hannibal Buress -- (Broad City)
  • Cristela Alonzo -- (Cristela)
  • Jillian Bell -- (22 Jump Street)
  • Danielle Brooks -- (Orange is the New Black)
  • Romeo Santos -- (Latin music singer)
  • Ian Andre Hecox and Anthony Padilla -- (Of YouTube fame)

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