THQ plots Master Mind

Quality probably isn't the first adjective that springs to mind when most gamers consider animated movie tie-in games, but publishers often cite the games as key revenue drivers. Thanks to a four-movie extension deal signed with Disney subsidiary Pixar in 2004, which began with Ratatouille, THQ plans to continue soaking in the tie-in market for some time to come. Despite Disney calling dibs on the Toy Story 3 license in February, a THQ representative told GameSpot that the publisher still has two games left in the deal: Up!, slated for next year, and an as-yet-unnamed Pixar project expected in 2011.

Now, THQ has picked up yet one more animated-movie license, this time from Viacom-owned DreamWorks. The publisher said today as part of its earnings report that it has licensed DreamWorks' tentatively titled Master Mind for game development and distribution. Platforms and a release date were not named in the announcement, but THQ did say that Master Mind is slated for a November 5, 2010 theatrical debut.

Not entirely unlike Pixar's The Incredibles, DreamWorks' Master Mind aims to satirize the superhero genre. The film follows the story of a supervillain who seeks out meaning in his life after inadvertently killing his superhero nemesis in the opening scene of the film.