My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Friendship Games

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My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Friendship Games
Friendship Games DVD.png
Region 1 DVD cover
Genre <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Based on Hasbro's My Little Pony toyline created by Bonnie Zacherle, &
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic developed for television by Lauren Faust
Written by Josh Haber
Directed by Ishi Rudell
Starring <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Composer(s) William Anderson
Country of origin <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • Canada
  • United States
Original language(s) English
Production
Executive producer(s) <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • Stephen Davis
  • Kirsten Newlands
  • Sarah Wall
Producer(s) Devon Cody
Editor(s) Rachel Kenzie
Running time 72 minutes (DVD/Blu-ray)[3][4]
Production company(s) <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Distributor Shout! Factory (home media)
Release
Original network Discovery Family
Original release <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • September 26, 2015 (2015-09-26)
Chronology
Preceded by Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks
Followed by Equestria Girls: Legend of Everfree
External links
Website

My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Friendship Games is a 2015 Canadian–American animated fantasy musical-comedy television film sequel to 2014's My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Rainbow Rocks, the third installment in the Equestria Girls film franchise, and a spin-off of the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic animated television series. It is written by Josh Haber and directed by Ishi Rudell. Unlike the two previous Equestria Girls films, which had limited theatrical releases in the United States,[5] the film received a television network premiere on Discovery Family on September 26, 2015; however, the film did have a limited theatrical run in the United Kingdom from October 24 to November 1, 2015, unlike its previous films.[6]

Like the first two Equestria Girls films, Friendship Games re-envisions the main characters of the series, normally ponies, as teenage human characters in a high school setting. The film's story centers around a sports competition between the students of Canterlot High School and their rivals at Crystal Prep Academy, one of whom is the human world's version of Twilight Sparkle, who has been investigating magical activity around Canterlot High from the previous films.

A fourth Equestria Girls film, subtitled Legend of Everfree,[7] is currently in development and is set for a 2016 release.[8]

Plot

The students of Canterlot High School prepare for the Friendship Games, a sporting event held between their school team, the Wondercolts, and the Shadowbolts from Crystal Prep Academy, a prestigious school with a reputation of poor sportsmanship and a fierce competitive streak. Sunset Shimmer and her friends are advised against using Equestrian magic in the games to keep the competition fair, much to Sunset's concern when she and her friends "pony up" (magically gain pony-like ears, tails and wings) at seemingly random times. Meanwhile, the human world's version of Twilight Sparkle has been investigating the magical activity at Canterlot High as a student of Crystal Prep. Principal Cinch, who has learned that Canterlot High's reputation is starting to grow, turns to Twilight's intellectual skill to secure Crystal Prep's victory in the games. When Twilight shows reluctance to compete, Cinch forces her to participate under threat of denying her application for a coveted independent study program.

Twilight meets Sunset and her friends at Canterlot High, guided by a pendant-like device she has built to detect and contain the magical energy around the school. Throughout the games, each of Sunset's friends ponies up whenever they express their friendship, only for Twilight's pendant to inadvertently drain the girls of their magic whenever she is near them. Magical anomalies occur after the pendant absorbs the portal between Equestria and the human world, opening dimensional rifts to Equestria and granting Twilight's pet dog, Spike, the ability to speak. During the games' tri-cross relay, the pendant accidentally summons carnivorous plants when Twilight drops it, and Rainbow Dash ponies up to save the other competitors. Although Canterlot High wins the event to tie with Crystal Prep, Cinch accuses the school of cheating due to their perceived advantage of magic.

Before the final event, Cinch and the Shadowbolts pressure Twilight into releasing the magic stored within her pendant to use it against Canterlot High. The released magic transforms Twilight into an alicorn-like monster that obsessively tears open more rifts to Equestria, which threaten to destroy the human world. As the Wondercolts and Shadowbolts work together to save their classmates, Sunset realizes that her friends' magic manifests when they exhibit the same traits as the Elements of Harmony. Gathering their magic with the pendant, Sunset becomes an alicorn-like figure that closes the rifts and returns Twilight to normal. Cinch threatens to report the incident to the school board, but chooses not to do so upon realizing that her claims of magic would tarnish Crystal Prep's reputation. Both schools are declared the games' winner, and Twilight decides to transfer to Canterlot High, where Sunset and the others welcome her as a new friend.

In a pre-credits scene, the Twilight from Equestria emerges from the newly reactivated portal as her human friends gather around it. She apologizes for her absence and then freezes in shock at her human counterpart.

Cast

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See also: List of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic characters

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Songs

Like the previous two installments, the songs were composed by Daniel Ingram with lyric writing shared between Ingram and screenwriter Josh Haber; with the exception of "Friendship Games" and "ACADECA" which had lyrics by Ingram. Even though it wasn't listed in Discovery Family's televised broadcast of the film's ending credits, "What More Is Out There?" can be heard in the film. Although "Right There in Front of Me" can be seen in the credits, it does not appear in the film. Song production was done by Caleb Chan with vocal arrangements by Trevor Hoffmann.

  • "Friendship Games" – Sunset Shimmer, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and ensemble (voiceover)
  • "CHS Rally Song" – Rainbow Dash and the students of Canterlot High School
  • "What More Is Out There?" – Twilight Sparkle
  • "ACADECA" – Full Company (voiceover)
  • "Unleash the Magic" – Principal Abacus Cinch, Twilight Sparkle, and the students of Crystal Prep Academy
  • "Credits Song: Right There in Front of Me" – Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Sour Sweet, Sugarcoat, Sunny Flare, Indigo Zap, and Lemon Zest (voiceover)

"Right There in Front of Me" plays over the closing credits on the film's DVD and Blu-ray versions.[9] According to Rudell, the song "Dance Magic" is unrelated to the film.[10]

Deleted song

One of the deleted scenes included in the Blu-ray and DVD set is an alternate version of the song "What More Is Out There?", featuring both Crystal Prep's Twilight Sparkle and Canterlot High's Sunset Shimmer.[11] The song was originally intended as a duet for the two characters, but due to time constraints and the removal of a subplot, it was ultimately rewritten as a solo for Twilight.

File:What More is Out There Final Version.ogg
The version as heard in the film.
File:What More is Out There Uncut.ogg
The original cut of the song, originally conceived as a duet.

Production

A forest clearing, used both for the Friendship Is Magic episode "Bloom & Gloom" and for this film, was previewed in a background image shown online back in November 2014.[12]

The third installment was first teased by Rainbow Rocks co-director, Ishi Rudell on December 12, 2014. Brony Donald "Dusty Katt" Rhoades tweeted wondering about Rudell's silence on Twitter, and Rudell replied that he was "too busy working on #3".[13]

On January 29, 2015, Australian home media distributor Beyond Home Entertainment stated via Facebook that they had obtained distribution rights for seasons 4 and 5 of Friendship Is Magic, in addition to Rainbow Rocks and the "third Equestria Girls [movie]".[14] Further confirmation was given during Hasbro's investor presentation at the 2015 New York Toy Fair.[15]

The concept designs for the film's ending credits were done by Katrina Hadley with Chris Lienonin and Jerremy Mah on the layouts.[16]

Release

Theatrical

The film received a theatrical debut exclusively at the Angelika Film Center in New York City on September 17, 2015. William Anderson, Ashleigh Ball, G.M. Berrow, Josh Haber, Daniel Ingram, Brian Lenard, Andrea Libman, Ishi Rudell, Rebecca Shoichet, Tara Strong, and Cathy Weseluck, including Sarah Michelle Gellar from Buffy the Vampire Slayer[17] and comedian Jim Gaffigan,[18] were among those in attendance.[19][20] Also in attendance was The Real Housewives of New York star Kristen Taekman,[21] Top Chef's Padma Lakshmi,[22] America's Got Talent host Nick Cannon, former New York Giants running back Tiki Barber, fashion photographer Nigel Barker, Sons of Anarchy's Drea de Matteo, and fitness guru Tracy Anderson.[23]

Equestria Girls: Friendship Games had a limited theatrical release in selected Vue Cinemas in the United Kingdom between October 24, and November 1, 2015.[24] The film had a limited theatrical release at various Hoyts movie theaters in Australia between October 31, and November 10, 2015.[25]

Television

On July 1, 2015, the film's first trailer was released by USA Today. It was also given that the film would premiere on Discovery Family on September 26, 2015.[26] Eight days later on July 9, 2015, a second trailer was showcased at the 2015 San Diego Comic-Con.[27] On Christmas Eve 2015, the film made its debut in the United Kingdom on Pop.

Home media

Equestria Girls: Friendship Games was released on DVD, Blu-ray disc, digital download release,[28] and in a box set alongside its two predecessors on October 13, 2015.[29] DVD and Blu-ray special features consist of four storyboard animatic deleted scenes, audio commentary, sing-alongs, and five animated shorts.[30] Primal Screen released a Region 2 DVD on November 2, 2015, and includes the five animated shorts and a recap of the first two Equestria Girls films.[31]

Online

On November 30, 2015, the My Little Pony Facebook page posted an advertisement promoting that the film will be added to Netflix on December 1, 2015.[32] The version used on Netflix is the same as the one found on the DVD and Blu-ray versions of the film with the end credits song, "Right There in Front of Me", playing over the film's end credits. On May 3, 2016, a Friendship Games "blooper reel" was posted on the official Equestria Girls website, containing fictional outtakes of various scenes from the film.[33]

Promotion

Book

A book adaptation by Perdita Finn, titled My Little Pony: Equestria Girls: The Friendship Games, has been displayed at the 2015 New York Toy Fair and was released on October 6, 2015.[34]

Live-action music video

On August 14, 2015, Hasbro released a live-action music video on its website depicting the Equestria Girls in a sporting competition against Crystal Prep's Twilight Sparkle.[35]

Online

Animated shorts

A series of animated prequel shorts for Friendship Games, similar to those produced for Rainbow Rocks, was announced on February 13, 2015.[36] On July 31, 2015, the My Little Pony Facebook page posted some instructions for playing in the "Friendship Games Fantasy League" and indicated that a new short would be released every Saturday during August 2015.[37] Like the Rainbow Rocks shorts, these are also separate from the movie.[38] A total of five shorts were released; the first four of these, paired with a 10-minute preview of the film, aired on Discovery Family on August 29, 2015.[39]

No. Title Directed by Written by Original airdate
1 "The Science of Magic"[40] Jayson Thiessen Natasha Levinger August 1, 2015
Sunset Shimmer studies her friends' pony hybrid transformations to better understand how magic works in the human world.
2 "Pinkie Spy"[41] Jayson Thiessen Natasha Levinger August 8, 2015
Rainbow Dash tries to spy on Crystal Prep Academy's sports team, but Pinkie Pie ruins her attempts to remain unseen.
3 "All's Fair in Love & Friendship Games"[42] Jayson Thiessen — August 15, 2015
Lyra Heartstrings and Sweetie Drops try to earn a spot on the Wondercolts team in the Friendship Games tryouts.
4 "Photo Finished"[43] Jayson Thiessen Ishi Rudell and Jayson Thiessen August 22, 2015
Photo Finish gets carried away when Vice Principal Luna asks her to take pictures for the Canterlot High yearbook.
5 "A Banner Day"[44] Jayson Thiessen — August 29, 2015
Flash Sentry, Micro Chips, and Sandalwood have conflicting ideas on their welcome banner for Crystal Prep Academy.

Games

On August 4, 2015, a Friendship Games game was released on Hasbro's Equestria Girls website titled "Archery Game".[45]

San Diego Comic-Con exclusives

Friendship Games buttons were given away at the 2015 San Diego Comic-Con.[46]

Soundtrack

The film's soundtrack was released on September 17, 2015 on i-Tunes[47] and on Amazon.com on September 18, 2015.[48] The first three tracks, "Friendship Through the Ages",[49] "My Past is Not Today"[50] and "Life Is a Runway",[51] were first released by Hasbro's YouTube channel on March 31, 2015; later re-uploaded on April 2, 2015.

No. Title Writer(s) Performer(s) Length
1. "Friendship Through the Ages"   Daniel Ingram[lower-alpha 1] The Rainbooms 2:08
2. "My Past Is Not Today"   Daniel Ingram[lower-alpha 1] Sunset Shimmer 2:19
3. "Life Is a Runway"   Daniel Ingram[lower-alpha 1] Rarity 1:58
4. "Dance Magic"   Daniel Ingram Sunset Shimmer, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity 2:04
5. "The Friendship Games"   Daniel Ingram Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and ensemble 2:41
6. "CHS Rally Song"   Josh Haber and Daniel Ingram Rainbow Dash and the students of Canterlot High School 2:30
7. "What More Is Out There"   Josh Haber and Daniel Ingram Twilight Sparkle 2:48
8. "Acadeca"   Daniel Ingram Full Company 2:42
9. "Unleash the Magic"   Josh Haber and Daniel Ingram Principal Abacus Cinch, Twilight Sparkle, and the students of Crystal Prep Academy 3:09
10. "Right There in Front of Me"   Daniel Ingram Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity 2:59
Total length:
 25:19

Song notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Shared writing credit with Katrina Hadley, Brian Lenard, Jayson Thiessen, and Michael Vogel.

Toys

On January 20, 2015, at London's 2015 Toy Fair, some merchandise was unveiled labeled My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games.[52] Some vectors for the merchandise include Applejack and Fluttershy in archery outfits, Twilight Sparkle's human world counterpart, and five new characters introduced in the film: Indigo Zap, Lemon Zest, Sour Sweet, Sugarcoat, and Sunny Flare.[53]

Wondercolts and Shadowbolts dolls were released in late 2015 in two varieties: "School Spirit" classic and "Sporty Style" deluxe. In the Sporty Style assortment, the Wondercolts' Fluttershy and Applejack and the Shadowbolts' Sour Sweet and Twilight Sparkle come with a bow and a quiver of arrows. The Wondercolts' Rainbow Dash and Sunset Shimmer and the Shadowbolts' Indigo Zap and Sugarcoat come with motorcycle helmets and goggles. The Wondercolts' Pinkie Pie and Rarity and the Shadowbolts' Lemon Zest and Sunny Flare come with roller skates. A motocross bike was released in 2015.[54]

Broadcast and reception

My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Friendship Games premiered on Discovery Family on September 26, 2015. The movie was viewed by 436,000 viewers. According to the Nielsen household ratings, it was watched by approximately 0.12 percent of American households.[55]

The film was received favorably by critics. Daniel Alvarez of Unleash the Fanboy gave the film a score of 8 out of 10, calling it "another quality installment in the Equestria Girls series." He praised to the film's characters, calling Sunset Shimmer "a great focus", as well as the film's songs and "epic climax." However, he noted that several negatives "hold it back from being near perfect", such as Principal Cinch, whom he called "the worst antagonist."[56] Geekscape's Adam Lemuz praised the film as "a great follow-up to Rainbow Rocks." He further complimented that "fans of the previous films will get a lot of enjoyment out of it as it delivers plenty of solid laughs and noteworthy songs."[57] Ed Liu of Toon Zone called the film "solid addition to the Equestria Girls franchise", but felt it was "overly familiar" and "a little padded" when comparing it to the first film's story. He also praised Sunset Shimmer's development from "a vintage mean girl to a strong, assertive character in her own right", calling her character arc initiated from the first film "a wonderful long-form story".[58] Mike Cahill of The Guardian gave the film two out of five stars, calling it "craven commercialism", but adding that "it's not unattractively designed, and its peppy collegiate spirit trumps the sappiness of Disney's Tinkerbell spin-offs".[59]

Sequel

On October 3, 2015, it was announced that a fourth Equestria Girls film is currently in development.[8]

References

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  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  45. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  48. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  49. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  50. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  51. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  52. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  53. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  54. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  55. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  56. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  57. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  58. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  59. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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