Directed by Jayson Thiessen | Music by Daniel Ingram | |
Produced by Brian GoldnerStephen Davis Screenplay by Meghan McCarthyRita Hsiao Based on My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magicby HasbroMy Little Ponyby Bonnie Zacherle Starring Tara StrongAshleigh BallAndrea LibmanTabitha St. GermainCathy WeseluckKristin ChenowethEmily BluntMichael PeñaUzo AdubaLiev SchreiberTaye DiggsSia FurlerZoe Saldana Similar My Little Pony: Equestria Girls, My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Friendship Games, My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Rainbow Rocks | ||
My Little Pony: The Movie is an upcoming 2017 Canadian–American animated musical fantasy film based on the television series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, which was developed as part of the 2010 relaunch of the My Little Pony toy line by Hasbro. Directed and written by Friendship Is Magic veterans Jayson Thiessen and Meghan McCarthy, respectively, the film stars the series' regular voice cast – Tara Strong, Ashleigh Ball, Andrea Libman, Tabitha St. Germain, and Cathy Weseluck – reprising their roles alongside guest performances by Kristin Chenoweth, Emily Blunt, Michael Peña, Uzo Aduba, Liev Schreiber, Taye Diggs, Sia Furler, and Zoe Saldana.
Contents
The film is produced by DHX Media's 2D animation studio located in Vancouver, Canada, and is the first animated film to be financed by Hasbro Studios' Allspark Pictures film label. It is scheduled for a theatrical release on October 6, 2017 in the United States through Lionsgate.
Plot
In order to stop a threat to the town of Ponyville, the "Mane Six" – Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity – must leave their home kingdom of Equestria, meeting new friends and overcoming challenges in the process.
Cast
Development
At San Diego Comic-Con International in 2012, Friendship Is Magic head writer Meghan McCarthy commented on the possibility of a feature film based on the series, saying it was not in her control whether or not the film would be made. The film was announced on October 20, 2014, with Joe Ballarini originally attached as screenwriter and McCarthy as co-executive producer. Hasbro Studios president Stephan Davis said of the film that "I think it gives us an opportunity to tell a bigger story, that maybe we [can't] tell on television" and that "[it's] also an opportunity to broaden the franchise". The film is one of the first being produced through Hasbro Studios' self-financing film label Allspark Pictures, which also produced the live-action adaptation of Jem and the Holograms. During PonyCon AU on February 22, 2015, McCarthy said that the movie would be unrelated to the Equestria Girls spin-off franchise, and that the crew was "going all out on it, to make sure it doesn't just feel like an extended episode".
On August 7, 2015, Lionsgate confirmed that they would distribute and market the film worldwide, with the exception of China. Series director Jayson Thiessen and McCarthy were both confirmed as the film's director and screenwriter, respectively; Michael Vogel was also signed on as co-executive producer alongside McCarthy, with Hasbro executives Brian Goldner and Stephen Davis as producers, and screenwriter Rita Hsiao later announced as co-writer alongside McCarthy.
The film was showcased at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival on May 10 along with eight other Lionsgate films to help sell the movie to international distributors. On April 30, 2016, concept artwork and other information was officially revealed at PonyRadioCon in Moscow; the panel included additional plot details such as the main characters' transformation into "sea ponies" for a portion of the film.
Casting
The initial Lionsgate announcement listed the television series' regular voice cast reprising their roles as the "Mane 6" characters alongside actress Kristin Chenoweth as a new character. On February 12, 2016, it was announced that Emily Blunt joined the voice cast. By April 27, 2016, actors Michael Peña and Uzo Aduba were in negotiations to join the cast. On May 16, Liev Schreiber and Taye Diggs were confirmed additions to the cast. On June 20, Ashleigh Ball stated through Twitter that she had begun recording for the film's songs. By June 22, Schreiber commented in an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live! that he had finished recording for an antagonist character in the film. At San Diego Comic-Con in July 2016, singer Sia Furler was announced to be portraying a new "pop star pony" character called Songbird Serenade. On January 11, 2017, it was reported by Variety that Zoe Saldana had joined the cast. Friendship Is Magic voice actress Nicole Oliver confirmed via Twitter on January 23 that she was a part of the film's cast, reprising her role as Princess Celestia.
Music
The film's songs and score were composed by Friendship Is Magic songwriter Daniel Ingram, who first announced at GalaCon 2015 that he would be collaborating with a live studio orchestra for the film. On his songwriting for the film, Ingram said, "I had to challenge myself to push beyond what had been done in the TV show; to write bigger, more epic." It was stated through the PonyRadioCon panel that the film would have a total of eight original songs. At Hasbro's Toy Fair investor presentation on February 17, 2017, it was announced that there would be seven songs. Sia will be contributing two original songs to the film's soundtrack.
Release
My Little Pony: The Movie was originally scheduled for release on November 3, 2017, which was subsequently moved up to October 6, 2017. The theatrical release will be accompanied by an animated short from the Hasbro Studios web series Hanazuki: Full of Treasures.
Marketing
The 2016 PonyRadioCon panel included a brief preview for some of the planned merchandise being developed for the film, including T-shirts and graphics. On July 27, 2016, the My Little Pony Collectible Card Game hinted on Twitter about a new set of cards based on the film releasing in 2017. Several books related to the film have been announced: My Little Pony: Annual 2018, which contains "exclusive content from the My Little Pony movie" and is set for release on August 10, 2017; and a story set before the events of the film, tentatively titled My Little Pony: The Movie Prequel, slated for an August 1 release. On January 23, 2017, Hachette Book Group listed five different books for the film, all set for release on August 29, 2017.