My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Legend of Everfree

For the other films in the franchise, see My Little Pony: Equestria Girls § Animated films and specials.
My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Legend of Everfree

Region 1 DVD cover
Directed by Ishi Rudell
Produced by Angela Belyea
Written by Kristine Songco
Joanna Lewis
Based on My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
developed for television by Lauren Faust, and the My Little Pony toyline originally created by Bonnie Zacherle
Starring
Music by William Anderson
Edited by Shannon Archibald
Tom Harris
Production
companies
Distributed by Hasbro Studios
Release dates
Running time
 73 minutes
Country
  • Canada
  • United States
Language English

My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Legend of Everfree is a 2016 animated musical fantasy film produced by DHX Media's 2D animation studio in Vancouver, Canada for Hasbro Studios in the United States, as a sequel to 2015's My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Friendship Games. The film is a part of the camp-themed Legend of Everfree lineup, launched in the same year by Hasbro as a fourth installment in the Equestria Girls toy line and media franchise which is a spin-off of the 2010 relaunch of My Little Pony. It is written by Kristine Songco and Joanna Lewis, and directed by Ishi Rudell. Prior to its release in the United states on Netflix on October 1, 2016 (unlike how the first three films were premiered in the country, either having limited theatrical release or first shown on television),[1] the film was first broadcast on Discovery Kids in Latin America on September 24, 2016. It received a home media release in the United States and Canada on November 1, 2016.

Like the first three Equestria Girls films, Legend of Everfree re-envisions the main characters of the parent franchise, normally ponies, as teenage human characters in a high school setting. The film's plot concerns the students of Canterlot High School attending a field trip to Camp Everfree, which becomes plagued with bizarre magical circumstances relating to a local urban legend.

The film will be followed by three TV specials set after the events of the film sometime in 2017.

Plot

The students of Canterlot High School attend a field trip to Camp Everfree, a nature camp owned by Gloriosa Daisy and her brother, Timber Spruce. During the bus ride, transfer student Twilight Sparkle has a nightmare of being overtaken by "Midnight Sparkle", a malevolent alter ego of herself produced while temporarily corrupted with magic from the alternate world of Equestria. Her friend Sunset Shimmer is supportive, relating through her own similar experience with transforming into a demon. Shortly upon arrival at the camp, Twilight develops telekinetic powers, which she worries is a sign of Midnight Sparkle's lingering presence.

That night, Timber shares a campfire story that tells of Gaea Everfree,[N 1] a forest spirit, being angered by the camp's construction and threatening to unleash a plague of natural disasters upon it; the story also mentions a trail of glittering gem dust Gaea would leave in her wake. The next day, a sailboat mysteriously crashes into a dock the campers are building to use as a fashion show runway. The terrified campers spot a trail of gem dust in the water, convincing them that Gaea is real. Later, amidst an apparent earthquake and another sighting of gem dust, Twilight's friends begin developing their own unique supernatural abilities – Rainbow Dash gains super speed, Applejack gains super strength, Rarity creates diamond-like force fields, Pinkie Pie controls explosive sprinkles, and Fluttershy communicates with animals – which they find they can only use within the camp's boundaries. Twilight believes herself to be responsible for these magical occurrences, and she prepares to run away from camp. Sunset follows Twilight into the woods and, discovering her own power of telepathic empathy, convinces her to stay.

As Timber leads them out of the forest, Sunset notices gem dust falling from his pocket and suspects him of staging Gaea's attacks. She later overhears him arguing with Gloriosa to abandon what Sunset assumes to be the camp, surmising from his longing for urban life that he means to shut the camp down by terrorizing the campers. Sunset brings Twilight and Spike with her to investigate a nearby cave kept off-limits by Timber, where they find a deposit of geodes infused with Equestrian magic. The three are confronted by Gloriosa, who reveals herself to be the true cause of the magical incidents. Sunset learns through her visions that Gloriosa, desperate to prevent businessman Filthy Rich from foreclosing the camp, has been wearing the geodes as a necklace to harness their magic in attempts at improving the campers' experience; Timber, disapproving her reckless actions, invented the story of Gaea Everfree to cover for her.

Gloriosa adds more geodes to the necklace and is corrupted by their power, taking on an appearance resembling Gaea. She traps Twilight, Sunset and Spike in the cave, and then enshrouds the camp in brambles. The three escape and regroup with their friends, who use their powers to defend the other campers. Twilight embraces her own magic with encouragement from the other girls and, after nearly transforming into Midnight Sparkle, frees Gloriosa from the necklace's influence by splitting it apart. The pieces turn into different pendants for the girls, who gain new magical forms and restore the camp. Still faced with the camp's foreclosure, the girls realize that the geodes are the source of their new powers, and use them to organize a fundraiser ball that is held within the cave. Their plan is a success, attracting a large crowd of former campers and saving the camp. Sunset wonders about the source of the cave's magic as, unbeknownst to the campers, magic energy seeps through a crack above the portal to Equestria.

In a post-credits scene, the next day, the girls finally restore the dock, but Pinkie's sprinkles accidentally detonate and destroy it, leaving Rarity in a state of shock, and then faints.

Cast

Production

After the fourth Equestria Girls installment, "Legend of Everfree", was first mentioned in a Hasbro 2016 Entertainment Plan presentation in August 2015,[3] this film was further teased by Rainbow Rocks co-director and Friendship Games director Ishi Rudell. When asked on Twitter if "we might get more #EquestriaGirls media of any kind", Rudell replied, "Yup, there's a pretty good chance."[4] During a keynote presentation at MIPJunior 2015, Hasbro Studios president Stephen Davis confirmed that a fourth Equestria Girls film was in development at the time.[5]

The film's production started while Friendship Games was still being finished,[6] lasted for a "little over a year and a half",[7] and its completion was confirmed by Rudell in mid-August 2016.[8] According to the film's co-director Katrina Hadley, there may have been "a small scene with" Lyra Heartstrings and Sweetie Drops "cut from the animatic."[9]

Film director Ishi Rudell credits Hadley and art director Jeremy Tin for designing the Crystal Gala dresses during "Legend You Were Meant To Be" but adds "it was a team effort".[10]

Music

Like the previous three installments, the songs were composed by Daniel Ingram with lyric writing shared between Ingram and screenwriters Joanna Lewis and Kristine Songco; with the exception of "Embrace the Magic" which had lyrics by Lewis and Songco, and "Hope Shines Eternal" had lyrics by Ingram.

Release

Marketing

On July 7, 2016, a teaser trailer was published on YouTube depicting a slideshow of scenery backgrounds.[11]

The film's first official trailer was revealed by Entertainment Weekly on July 22, 2016.[12] A shorter 30-second trailer was released on YouTube on August 1.[13]

Television

Prior to the United States release, the film premiered on September 24, 2016 on Discovery Kids Latin America. In the United States, the film received a television premiere on Discovery Family on November 5, 2016.

Home media and streaming

On October 1, 2016, the film was made available for streaming on Netflix in the United States.

Legend of Everfree was released on DVD and Blu-ray on November 1, 2016 in the United States and Canada.[14] Announced bonus features include audio commentary from the crew, a fictional two-minute "blooper reel" (which was published earlier onto YouTube on October 27, 2016), and sing-alongs.[15]

Merchandise and other media

The film is a part of camp-themed Legend of Everfree lineup, a fourth installment in the My Little Pony: Equestria Girls toy line and media franchise, first mentioned in a Hasbro 2016 Entertainment Plan presentation in August 2015 along with this film.[3] The toys were presented at the 2016 American International Toy Fair,[16] and released in July 2016. LB Kids published a novelization of the film, as well as a storybook adaptation, subtitled Save Our Camp!.

Soundtrack

The film's soundtrack was released on Google Play and iTunes on September 16, 2016.[17][18] It was later released, freely, on YouTube on September 28, 2016.[19]

No. TitleWriter(s)Performer(s) Length
1. "Legend of Everfree (Main Title)"  Daniel Ingram[lower-alpha 1]Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and ensemble 2:13
2. "The Midnight in Me"  Daniel Ingram[lower-alpha 1]Twilight Sparkle 1:32
3. "Embrace the Magic"  Joanna Lewis and Kristine SongcoSunset Shimmer 2:30
4. "We Will Stand for Everfree"  Daniel Ingram[lower-alpha 1]Gloriosa Daisy 2:03
5. "Legend You Are Meant To Be"  Daniel Ingram[lower-alpha 1]Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity 2:32
6. "Hope Shines Eternal"  Daniel IngramTwilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and ensemble 2:35
Total length:
 13:25
Song notes
  1. 1 2 3 4 Shared writing credit with Joanna Lewis and Kristine Songco.

Notes

  1. ↑ As the spirit's name is spelled in the official novelization.[2]
  2. ↑ Named "Bonbon" in the film credits

References

  1. ↑ "My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Legend of Everfree | Netflix". Retrieved 2016-10-01.
  2. ↑ Finn, Perdita (2016-09-06). My Little Pony: Equestria Girls: The Legend of Everfree. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0316395374.
  3. 1 2 Sethisto (2015-08-04). "Equestria Girls: Legends of Everfree Highlighted in Hasbro's 2016 Entertainment Plan, Plus Season 6". Equestria Daily. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
  4. ↑ Rudell, Ishi (2015-10-01), [Rudell confirming the possibility of more sequels], Twitter, retrieved 2015-10-06
  5. ↑ mipmarkets (2015-10-03). "Keynote: Stephen Davis, Hasbro - MIPJunior 2015". YouTube. Retrieved 2015-10-03.
  6. ↑ Hadley, Katrina (2016-10-01), ["Legend of Everfree" film production starting period confirmation], Twitter, retrieved 2016-10-01
  7. ↑ Rudell, Ishi (2016-08-18), ["Legend of Everfree" film production duration confirmation], Twitter, retrieved 2016-08-18
  8. ↑ Rudell, Ishi (2016-08-18), ["Legend of Everfree" film production completed confirmation], Twitter, retrieved 2016-08-19
  9. ↑ Rudell, Ishi (2016-09-29), [Lyra Heartstrings and Sweetie Drops' small deleted scene confirmation], Twitter, retrieved 2016-09-29
  10. ↑ Rudell, Ishi (2016-09-30), [Designers behind the Crystal Gala dresses confirmation], Twitter, retrieved 2016-09-30
  11. ↑ MLP: Equestria Girls - Legend of Everfree Teaser. YouTube. 2016-07-07. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
  12. ↑ Heldman, Breanne (2016-07-22). "My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Legends of Everfree movie trailer debuts". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2016-07-22.
  13. ↑ [Trailer] MLP: Equestria Girls - Legend of Everfree. YouTube. 2016-08-01. Retrieved 2016-08-01.
  14. ↑ Milligan, Mercedes (2016-08-01). "Shout!, Hasbro Date 'Equestria Girls – Legend of Everfree' Release". Animation Factory. Retrieved 2016-08-04.
  15. ↑ "My Little Pony: Equestria Girls - Legend Of Everfree". Shout! Factory. Retrieved 2016-08-24.
  16. ↑ Sethisto (2016-02-12). "Legends of Everfree Dolls and Details - Character Names and Plot Revealed!". Equestria Daily. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
  17. ↑ "My Little Pony - Equestria Girls: Legend of Everfree". iTunes Store. 2016-09-16. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  18. ↑ "My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Legend of Everfree". Google Play. 2016-09-16. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  19. ↑ YouTube Playlist (officially uploaded by Hasbro Studio Shorts)

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/4/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.