Brief:

• Warner Bros. is promoting the April 13 release of action film “Rampage” starring Dwayne Johnson with an augmented reality (AR) app that lets fans see their surroundings torn apart by genetically modified giant animals, according to information provided to Mobile Marketer. “Rampage: AR Unleashed” shows George the gorilla, Ralph the wolf and Lizzie the alligator wreaking havoc in two different attack modes. The game was developed with Trigger. 
• Fans can enter a sweepstakes by creating videos using the AR app and sharing them on social media with the #RampageMonstersUnleashedContest hashtag. Dwayne Johnson this week announced the contest on his Instagram account.
• Warner Bros. also plans a Rampage Monster Week to publicize the film with poster giveaways and demonstrations of a video game based on the film. The app is available for a free download from Apple’s App Store and Google Play.

Insight:

The promotion for “Rampage” shows how AR apps are entering the mainstream after Apple and Google began supporting the technology with software tools to help developers create AR features for mobile devices. “Rampage: AR Unleashed” requires fans to take the extra steps of downloading an app, but once they do, it may lead to much greater engagement with the film. “Rampage” is based on a video game released in 1986 by Bally Midway.

Warner Bros. has developed gaming tie-ins with its movie franchises, including a "Harry Potter: Wizards Unite" game that has AR features developed by Niantic, which also created Pokemon Go, the game considered to have kicked off the recent interest in AR. Sony Pictures is expected to release its “Ghostbusters World” AR game this year that lets fans capture virtual ghosts projected onto their surroundings. With an onslaught of AR-enabled apps hitting the market, it remains to be seen how deep the interest level from consumers is and if the excitement around the technology will be enough to encourage them to download an app. 

Warner Bros. moved the release date of “Rampage” up a week to April 13 after Disney-Marvel announced plans to shift the opening of “Avengers: Infinity War” from May 4 to April 27, per Variety. Even though Dwayne Johnson is a major box-office draw with hit films like “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” and several “Fast and Furious” sequels, it’s evident that Warner Bros. wanted more room for “Rampage” to top the box office before the summer onslaught. Johnson returns on July 13 with the opening of “Skyscraper” from Universal Studios.