Few Finnish brands have spread around the world as widely as Angry Birds. The mobile game released by Espoo-based Rovio in 2009 became a global phenomenon, and The Angry Birds Movie (2016) became an international success. A sequel followed in 2019. Now the angry birds return to the big screen for a third time, as The Angry Birds Movie 3 opens in Finnish cinemas on Christmas Day, 25 December 2026.
In Finland the film is listed as a domestic co-production. Its production countries are given as the United States and Finland, and it is distributed by Finnkino.
What is The Angry Birds Movie 3 about?
The Finnish distributor's description sums up the premise: this Christmas, one angry bird faces his biggest challenge ever – surviving parenthood – while also having to save the world.
According to JoBlo's description of the trailer, Red is now a father. He is trying to cope with the everyday realities of parenting and gathers his family for a pasta party before being thrown into another chaotic adventure. This time Red and his friends must defend their island from a threat the trailer describes as an extinction-level event.
The fatherhood theme continues the series' development naturally. In the first film, Red was a short-tempered outsider who turned his anger into heroism. In the second, the birds and pigs had to work together against a common enemy. The third shifts the focus to family.
Voice cast
The familiar voices of the English-language version return:
- Jason Sudeikis – Red
- Josh Gad – Chuck
- Danny McBride – Bomb
- Rachel Bloom – Silver
New voices include Walker Scobell (Glider), Emma Myers (June), Psalm West (Olly) and James Austin Johnson (Fuzzy). Comedians Tim Robinson, Sam Richardson, Nikki Glaser and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan also feature. The film also courts a young audience with internet celebrities: YouTube star MrBeast, TikToker Salish Matter, and Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla of Smosh are heard in supporting roles.
The voice actors of the Finnish-language version had not been announced at the time of writing. Based on the previous films, it will likely be shown both dubbed and subtitled in Finland.
Filmmakers
The film is directed by John Rice, and the screenplay is by Thurop Van Orman, who directed the second film in the series. Van Orman is also known for the animated series The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack. This continuity explains why the trailer's rhythm and humour particularly recall the second film: the pace is breathless, and the jokes are aimed at both children and parents.
Age rating and running time
KAVI's age rating and the official running time had not been published at the time of writing. The previous films in the series were aimed at the whole family, and the third continues along the same line. We will update the details once they are confirmed.
Analysis: a Finnish story on the world's Christmas screens
The significance of the Angry Birds films for the Finnish film industry is in a class of its own. The first film was financially one of the most successful films in which a Finnish company has played a central role. The series has also shown that a Finnish mobile game can be built into a global entertainment brand.
The Christmas Day release is a bold choice. Jumanji: Open World and a new French animated Asterix film (Finnish title Asterix: Nubian valtakunta) open on the same day, and December's giant releases are already in cinemas. Angry Birds, however, competes for a different audience than Avengers and Dune. It is clearly the option aimed at the youngest viewers and therefore a natural choice for a family's first cinema outing of the Christmas holidays.
The fatherhood theme could also make the film warmer than its predecessors. If it manages to combine chaotic slapstick with a genuinely emotional story about a father learning his role, it could hold up surprisingly well in the Christmas competition.
Catch up before the release
- The Angry Birds Movie (2016) – the start of Red's story and the first clash between birds and pigs.
- The Angry Birds Movie 2 (2019) – the birds and pigs join forces. Its director, Thurop Van Orman, wrote the third film.
Why is the film called Finnish?
The film's production countries are given as the United States and Finland, and Finnish film listings mark it as a domestic co-production. The Angry Birds brand has its roots in Espoo, where Rovio developed the original game in 2009. Rovio is now part of the Japanese Sega group, but the Finnish connection is still visible in the films' production and Finnish distribution.
Our expectations
Above all, we expect pace and visual slapstick, which have been the series' strongest points. The most interesting question is whether the film dares to slow down enough for the fatherhood story to have time to touch audiences. The second film was clearly better than the first because it gave the characters more room. If the third continues in that direction, it could be the best in the series. The internet celebrities' cameos are marketing, and there is no point building expectations on them. For the youngest viewers, the film is probably the easiest cinema experience of the Christmas season, and adults can look forward to Sudeikis' and Gad's familiar banter. For Finnish audiences, the film also has a small home advantage: it is rare for one of Christmas's biggest animated films to have its origins in a mobile game from Espoo.
Frequently asked questions
When is The Angry Birds Movie 3 released in Finland?
It opens in Finnish cinemas on Christmas Day, 25 December 2026. The film is distributed in Finland by Finnkino.
Who directed the film?
The film is directed by John Rice, and the screenplay is by Thurop Van Orman.
Who voices Red?
In the English-language version, Red is again voiced by Jason Sudeikis. The Finnish-language voices had not been announced at the time of writing.
What is the film about?
Red is now a father learning to be a parent while he and his friends must save the island from destruction.
This text is based on information published by the film's distributors, production companies and film media. Assessments and interpretations are our own and are not based on seeing the finished film unless stated otherwise.
