Report: Temple Run Headed to the Big Screen

Temple Run may be trading small smartphone displays for the big screen, according to a new report.

Variety on Tuesday reported that Warner Bros. is in talks to turn the popular mobile game into a movie with Harry Potter producer David Heyman. "The story would center on an explorer who, having stolen an idol from a temple, is chased by demonic forces," the report notes. "The studio will next look to attach a writer to adapt."

Temple Run, released in 2011 by Raleigh, N.C.-based Imangi Studios, challenges players to race down ancient temple walls to escape a gang of Evil Demon Monkeys while dodging obstacles and collecting coins along the way. The game quickly soared up in the iOS App Store rankings, becoming the No.1 free app and one of 2012's biggest mobile games with more than 170 million downloads.

It was followed up with Temple Run 2, released this past January. The highly anticipated sequel set a new record of 50 million iOS, Android, and Kindle downloads in 13 days, topping Angry Birds Space. The sequel features new graphics, power-ups, achievements, alternate characters, special powers for each character, and new obstacles.

Imangi Studios did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the report.

Meanwhile, Temple Run isn't the only game slated to hit the silver screen. Rovio's mega-popular, bird-slinging franchise Angry Birds is also being made into a movie, expected to fly into theatres in the summer of 2016. Rovio has signed John Cohen, who produced the 2010 animated hit Despicable Me, as producer of the upcoming Angry Birds movie.

For more, see PCMag's reviews of Temple Run 2 for iPad and Android.