'The Angry Birds Movie' is at the top spot in the international box office in several international territories ahead of its scheduled release in the U.S. on May 20. The 3D animated film earned a whopping $43 million on its opening weekend, making it the highest-grossing film this month.

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The full-feature film adaptation of the viral game of the same name managed to snag the top spot in 37 territories on its opening weekend. It earned $43 million in its first weekend alone in markets across South America, Australia, and Europe.

The 3D animated film has already recouped more than half of its budget of almost $80 million. Rovio Entertainment, the company behind the popular series, set the May record for the highest-grossing opening weekend. The Finnish company presented the film together with Columbia Pictures in association with LStar Capital and Village Roadshow Pictures, although the latter is uncredited.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Rovio Entertainment took a huge gamble and financed the full-feature film with its money instead of licensing the characters to other Hollywood studios. Executive producer David Maisel said, "People think this is about the financial upside, but it's really about controlling your own destiny." 

In the original 'Angry Birds' mobile game, the birds are the main protagonists and come in various shapes, sizes and species. The main goal is to retrieve eggs that Pigs stole. The birds catapult themselves with a slingshot at structures created by the Pigs.

The film version takes place on an untouched paradise, Bird Island, inhabited by carefree and naïve flightless birds who treasure eggs. Red, an outcast bird, dealing with anger issues, is sentenced to anger management courses by Judge Peckinpah after his temper starts threatening everybody.

Red meets other misfit birds during his anger management courses, which fail to improve his attitude. Green pigs suddenly visit Bird Island. Although they claim to be peaceful, it turns out that the pigs are secretly stealing all the eggs. Red, in his distrust, leads a flock of other angry birds to steal back the eggs and seek revenge.

'The Angry Birds Movie' is an upcoming 3D animated action-comedy film based on a popular mobile game of the same name. It is directed by Clay Kaytis and Fergal Reilly and stars an ensemble cast including Peter Dinklage, Jason Sudeikis, Kate McKinnon, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Bill Hader, Keegan Michael-Key and Sean Penn.

TagsThe Angry Birds Movie, International box office, U.S. Release Date, Game Adaptations, Rovio Entertainment