ZeptoLab and Blockade Entertainment are announcing today that they will make a movie about Om Nom, the lovable green monster from the massively popular Cut the Rope mobile games. Tentatively titled Om Nom, the film will hit theaters worldwide late next year.
The collaboration between Hollywood and a mobile game company reverses the usual flow of an entertainment property licensing. This time a brand born in mobile gaming will make it to movie theaters, and that’s a big nod to the creativity of mobile gaming.
The Cut the Rope film will feature an all-new story exploring Om Nom’s origins, rendered in a cute 3D cartoon style.
Originally launched in 2010, Cut the Rope games have been downloaded more than 700 million times by users around the world. The game has won numerous awards, and ZeptoLab has expanded it into multiple merchandise categories and spawned a series of online short-form animated stories that have logged over 600 million views to-date on YouTube and an in-game video player. Om Nom, the star of Cut the Rope, has become one of mobile gaming’s most recognizable characters.
The movie tells the story of 13-year-old Evan, a boy whose impulsiveness leads him to open a secret package containing a living scientific experiment. Om Nom has an insatiable appetite for everything sugary. Set loose, Om Nom begins to wreak havoc upon a formerly quiet town, and Evan, with his little sister Jordan in tow, must follow him on an epic adventure.
They have to avoid a host of government agents, shady characters, and other unique creatures — all of whom are looking to capture Om Nom for themselves. Along the way, Evan and Om Nom will discover the importance of trust and patience and how life’s accidents can sometimes lead to incredible discoveries and unforgettable moments.
Semyon Voinov, creative director at Moscow-based ZeptoLab, said in a statement that the Om Nom character’s story will be fleshed out in the movie to a degree that is far more than is possible in a mobile puzzle game. After the success of the YouTube videos, a full-length animated movie was a logical next step, he said.
The film will be produced by Blockade’s CEO Brad Foxhoven and vice president of development David Wohl. Zeptolab’s chief technology officer Efim Voinov and Semyon Voinov serving as executive producers.
The film will build on Om Nom’s origin and stay true to the unique look and personality that the fans have grown to love, said Foxhoven.
“Video games became a major part of mass culture a long time ago, but there’s still a lack of good specialists who are able to transfer them to the big screen,” said ZeptoLab CEO Misha Lyalin, who spoke at our recent GamesBeat Summit. “With this movie, we want to give our fans a deeper experience with Om Nom than ever before.”
He said Blockade was the right partner to do this. Blockade is also making other movies based on games, including Ratchet & Clank and Sly Cooper. It released Heavenly Sword, a computer-generated animated film in 2014 on DVD.