My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games

My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games, also simply titled The Friendship Games, is the upcoming third installment in the Equestria Girls spin-off film franchise, following My Little Pony Equestria Girls and My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks.

Development and production
A forest clearing, used both for the My Little Pony Friendship is Magic episode Bloom & Gloom and for this film, was previewed in a background image shown online back in November 2014.

The third installment was first teased by Rainbow Rocks co-director, Ishi Rudell. Brony Donald "Dusty Katt" Rhoades tweeted wondering about Rudell's silence on Twitter, and Rudell announced that he was "too busy working on #3". On Twitter in late February 2015, Jayson Thiessen was asked, "Is the Friendship Games movie actually going to be about the Friendship Games?", and joked in reply, "it's actually an extensive lecture on quantum physics and M theory... For kids."

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 the show, in addition to Rainbow Rocks and the "third Equestria Girls [movie]". Further confirmation was given during Hasbro's investor presentation at the 2015 New York Toy Fair.

From Discovery Family Channel
"In this all-new movie, it's Friendship Games season - but the competition is anything but friendly. Canterlot High, home to the magical Equestria Girls, is set to face off against its rival school Crystal Prep Academy - Sunset Shimmer's new home turf - in a series of three events: an Academic Decathlon, an Athletic Competition and a spirited game of Capture the Flag. But when the magic at Canterlot falters, the Equestria Girls begin to wonder what or who could be responsible - and if the Magic of Friendship will reign supreme in the end."

From Equestria Girls website
"Canterlot High meets its rival school, Crystal Prep Academy, in a competition that’s a long-standing tradition, The Friendship Games. Sunset Shimmer feels homesick for the magic of Equestria while she and her friends compete against Crystal Prep’s top students led by someone with an equal amount of interest in Equestrian magic, this world’s TWILIGHT SPARKLE."

From Hasbro Product Description
"competition is fierce as THE FRIENDSHIP GAMES bring CANTERLOT HIGH and its rival school CRYSTAL PREP together in a series of school spirit, academic and sporting events to determine which school is number one! Mayhem also ensues as CRYSTAL PREP introduces their secret weapon – the actual TWILIGHT SPARKLE of the human world!"

From Hasbro Studio Shorts YouTube channel / Shout! Factory
"Canterlot High meets its rival school, Crystal Prep Academy, in a competition that’s a long-standing tradition – The Friendship Games. Sunset Shimmer is tasked with keeping magic out of the games to avoid the appearance of impropriety while she and her friends compete against Crystal Prep’s top students led by someone with an equal amount of interest in Equestrian magic – this world’s TWILIGHT SPARKLE."

From My Little Pony Facebook page
"Introducing Friendship Games, the epic contest between Canterlot High and Crystal Prep! Happening once every four years, this no-holds-barred, fight-to-the-finish showdown decides which school is the ultimate champion. And every time, that winner is Crystal Prep. This year, it’s going to be different."

From Discovery Family's website
"Canterlot High contends against rival school, Crystal Prep Academy, in The Friendship Games. Sunset Shimmer and friends compete against Crystal Prep's top students led by someone with equal interest in Equestrian magic, this world's TWILIGHT SPARKLE."

From AT&T U-verse
"The students of Canterlot High School are getting ready for the annual sports competition known as the "Friendship Games", in face [sic] they face their rival school."

From Zap2It
"Canterlot High and Crystal Prep Academy compete in a series of exciting events, including archery, motocross and roller skating."

From Verizon FiOS
"Rivals compete in exciting events, including archery, motocross and roller skating."

Cast

 * Tara Strong: Twilight Sparkle
 * Ashleigh Ball: Rainbow Dash and Applejack
 * Andrea Libman: Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie
 * Tabitha St. Germain: Rarity and Vice Principal Luna
 * Rebecca Shoichet: Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle's singing voice
 * Nicole Oliver: Principal Celestia


 * Vincent Tong: Flash Sentry


 * Iris Quinn
 * Shannon Chan-Kent: Pinkie Pie's singing voice
 * Kazumi Evans: Rarity's singing voice

Previews
On July 1, 2015, USA Today published an article about the film which included the first 90-second preview. The same preview was uploaded to the Hasbro Studios Shorts YouTube channel on July 6, 2015. A second trailer was shown at the 2015 San Diego Comic-Con and released on Facebook on July 16, 2015.

On August 29, 2015, a ten-minute preview of the film aired on Discovery Family along with the first four Friendship Games animated shorts.

Theatrical
The film will have a theatrical debut exclusively at the Angelika Film Center in New York City on September 17, 2015. Cathy Weseluck will be among those in attendance. Along with William Anderson, Daniel Ingram, Meghan McCarthy, Jayson Thiessen, and Tara Strong.

Television
The film will make its debut on Discovery Family on September 26, 2015.

Home media
Friendship Games will be released on DVD, Blu-ray, and digital on October 13, 2015. According to Animation Magazine, bonus features will include a deleted musical performance, audio commentary, sing-alongs and animated shorts. Primal Screen will release a Region 2 DVD on November 2, 2015, and will include identical content to the Region 1 counterpart, plus additional languages.

Alongside Equestria Girls and Rainbow Rocks, this film will be released in a box set on October 13, 2015 in Region 1.

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 is set for an October 6, 2015.

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

Soundtrack
On June 12, 2015, Daniel Ingram teased the film's soundtrack via his Twitter page. The album will be released on September 18, 2015.

Toys
On January 20, 2015, at London's 2015 Toy Fair, some merchandise was unveiled labeled My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games. According to a visitor at the 2015 London Toy Fair, the film will see the Wondercolts face off against the Crystal Prep Academy Shadow Colts [sic] in all kinds of sporting events. Some vectors for the merchandise include Applejack and Fluttershy in archery outfits, Twilight Sparkle's human world counterpart, and new character Sour Sweet. Toys also appeared on Amazon with the character names of Indigo Zap, Lemon Zest, Sour Sweet, Sugarcoat, and Sunny Flare.

Wondercolts and Shadowbolts dolls were released in June 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 is set to be released in 2015.

Quotes

 * Sunset Shimmer: I got your text, Rainbow Dash! Did something come through the portal? Is Equestrian magic on the loose? Did Twilight come back with a problem that only we can solve?!
 * Pinkie Pie: Has a giant cake monster covered all the cakes in the world in cake?!


 * Rainbow Dash: Well, you don't have to. Because I've totally figured out who it was!
 * Pinkie Pie: Ooh, ooh! A nighttime statue cleaner? A magical portal maintenance maintainer? A gardener?!


 * Rainbow Dash: I know a lot of you might think that there's no way we can beat a fancy school like Crystal Prep at anything.
 * Pinkie Pie: Unless it's a "losing to Crystal Prep" competition! 'Cause we're really good at that!


 * Rainbow Dash: Anybody have any guesses on what the events are gonna be?
 * Pinkie Pie: Pie eating? Cake eating? [gasps] Pie-cake eating?!


 * Twilight Sparkle: Hi, Sugarcoat.
 * Sugarcoat: You should consider not speaking in public.


 * Twilight Sparkle: Hi. I'm Twilight.
 * Pinkie Pie: I know. You look just like my friend. Her name is Twilight too.