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Feature Film

‘Emojimovie: Express Yourself’ Promises To Make You A Better Person

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Sony Pictures Animation today started its promotional push for Emojimovie: Express Yourself by releasing new story and casting details as well as an image of the main characters.

Emojimovie is hoping to follow in the footsteps of WB’s The LEGO Movie (and not Sony’s own Pixels) and overcome its early critics who have ridiculed the film’s elementary underlying concept. The film will tell the story of Gene (voiced by T.J. Miller), a multi-expression emoji who stands out from the other single-facial-expression emojis because he was “born without a filter.” He enlists the help of his friend Hi-5 (James Corden) as well as codebreaker emoji Jailbreak (Ilana Glazer) to help him become “normal” like the other emojis.

The journey to normality involve threats to the entire emoji universe, a character named Poop Daddy (see image below), and traveling through different mobile apps, the latter being a plot device that can be seen as either a 90-minute commercial for mobile apps or, as Sony puts it, an “app-venture.”

The film’s theme is not-so-subtly hammered into the subtitle: “Express Yourself.” This isn’t just mindless entertainment, Sony seems to be telling us. Audiences will receive an inspiring message about self-improvement alongside Poop Daddy’s antics.

Sony Animation president Kristine Belson stressed the film’s theme in today’s announcement:

“Over six billion emojis are texted every day, and emojis have become a universal language that transcends age and culture. The power of emojis is that they allow you to express yourself in a fast and very fun way, and that is what our movie is about: self expression. We are very lucky to have some of the smartest and funniest actors today bringing their unique voices to this movie.”

Columbia Pictures will release Emojimovie: Express Yourself in U.S. theaters on August 11, 2017. It remains to be seen how audiences will express themselves at the box office.

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  • Fried

    It’ll come. It’ll go. Just like Norm of the North and other “whatever” films before it. But I’m sure people will treat it like it’s the warning sign of plagues yet to come for the animation industry. LEGO Movie and Angry Birds have at least taught me to wait for a trailer before writing something off based on concept alone, so I’ll still do that. It is amazing how they managed to fit in the cookie cutter “Generic hero, fat friend, and strong woman” trio trope into emojis.

    People might be disappointed in Sony Animation but Sony was founded on Open Season and Surfs Up, they never really had a good start to begin with. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs was more of a fluke than anything. It’s the only one of their films whose story and visuals seemed to be at the same wavelength as one another.

    • In my opinion, Surf’s Up was a very good movie and the best one from SPA.
      Every other movie that they’ve done so far has been just mediocre at best.

  • Michel Lichand

    must not prematurely judge this
    must not prematurely judge this
    must not prematurely judge this

  • Was momentarily surprised and elated at the plot of a being that experiences more than one emotion being an aberration in a world where every person is allowed only one emotion each. Feels almost dystopian science-fiction without the emoji context. Then I read the rest. And went back to being bemused that this film even made it out of development. Not going to totally write it off yet, as everything deserves a shot, but Sony Animation’s track record isn’t the best and Sony Pictures at large isn’t doing too hot on decision-making. Faith is hanging on a string here, is what I’m saying.

    Also, that girl is Wyldstyle. Until trailers hit, you can’t convince me otherwise.

  • GOATmaybe

    For a split second I saw the still and thought they were making a Pac Man Movie.

    • Netko

      Don’t give them ideas.

  • mashed potato

    There’s a named poomoji character. I’m convinced the target audience is no older than 5.

    I struggle to find anything positive to say about this, and I’m one of those fools who believed Food Fight could be redeemed with some seriously heavy duty overhaul.

    • Mike

      Your not giving enough credit to five year olds

    • Roman Reigns Owns The IWC

      Food fight could have been better though.

  • Sexy Circle

    Isn’t it funny how the girl is the only emoji on the poster with a body instead of just being a face with legs?

    • Marielle

      I am not impressed with the character design so far.

  • Nudibranch

    Special mention goes to the Tetris movie which is actually being made by Threshold entertainment

  • Mermaid Warrior

    It’s how you know she’s cool and edgy.

  • CRAWLING IN MY SKIN

    THESE WOUND THEY WILL NOT HEAL
    FEAR IS HOW I FALL
    CONFUSING WHAT IS REAL
    OHHHHHHH OH

  • I know , they’ll just force the idea down our throats simply because of statistics that billions use emojis every day. So if its about the bottom line they have a very large market segment to begin with ….the texter.

  • Coming 2018 !😄😄The tweet movie,tweet tu ,dominoes the movie ,dominoess 2 pizza,….

  • Josh Evans

    Bottom of the barrel folks, bottom of the barrel.

  • KW

    Between the 2016 Election and the Emojimovie, I think its safe to say the Apocalypse is nigh.

  • Do we know what the yoga gag is yet? Or the toilet humor one?

  • kaminasbro8000

    Lets hope that it only looks stupid and pandering on the surface and that its actually a clever and well intentioned movie underneath. But knowing Sony Pictures Animation…..

    • It will have a TON of pop culture references and over-the-top, cheap looking animation.

  • Michalis Dragomir

    Most generic-looking characters ever. God, they’re not even trying. Then again, this is for an emoji movie.

  • bigg3469

    😳…..that’s all I got to say also,😩&😵

  • Edwin Cutler Ham

    i hate everything right now

  • And just when I thought Sony Pictures Animation was trying to improve their reputation. Oh Boy!

  • Roman Reigns Owns The IWC

    I think they are doing it the wrong way, this has the potential to be a PG 13 movie at lesst. Sausage Party pushed the envelope this year and I think people want more animated films that do.