My Little Pony The Movie


 * Not to be confused with the 1986 film of the same name.

My Little Pony The Movie is an animated feature-length film based on the My Little Pony franchise and the series My Little Pony Friendship is Magic. It was released theatrically on October 6, 2017 in the United States. The film takes place between the season seven finale and the season eight premiere.

Production
In mid-July 2012, Meghan McCarthy commented on the possibility of such a film.

The film was first announced during Hasbro Studios' Q3 investor call and is being produced in conjunction with Allspark Pictures, which also produced the live-action film adaptation of Jem and the Holograms.

Joe Ballarini, a comedy writer who made an uncredited contribution to 20th Century Fox's Ice Age: Continental Drift, was originally announced as writing the film's script, and Meghan McCarthy is serving as co-executive producer. McCarthy celebrated the news on Twitter with the hashtag "BigScreenMane6". The news was also retweeted by songwriter Daniel Ingram and voice actress Andrea Libman (Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy).

At PonyCon AU 2015 in Australia, it was stated that the film would not be related to Equestria Girls and that the production staff is "going all out on it, to make sure it doesn't just feel like an extended episode."

During the music panel for BABSCon 2015 in San Francisco, Daniel Ingram suggested the possibility of working with a live orchestra on the film's musical score, stating "it's looking like that dream is going to be a reality." On August 1, 2015, it was confirmed that Ingram will be working with a live orchestra.

On July 20, 2015, at Hasbro's Earnings Conference Call, it was announced that a distributor for the film would be made known "shortly".

On August 7, 2015, it was announced that Lionsgate would be distributing the film worldwide except China.

On November 17, 2015, background music score orchestrator Steffan Andrews, who left the series after its fourth season, announced via Twitter that he would be returning to work on the film; the tweet in question was deleted sometime in 2016.

On April 27, 2016, it was announced that the film would be moved up from its previous November 2017 date to a month earlier in October.

Animator Michel Gagné (best known for his tenure at Sullivan Bluth Studios, which made such films as An American Tail and The Land Before Time), after receiving an email from Jayson Thiessen on June 10, 2015 and being pitched the project in early 2016, committed to it in early 2016 and will start on April 2, 2017, taking an eight-month hiatus from Spider-Man. In early October 2016, Gagné reported that Nik Gipe was hired onto the film's staff as his assistant and that the film was being animated using Toon Boom Harmony.

On July 26, 2016, film director Jayson Thiessen tweeted a teaser photo from one of the film's production sessions with editor Braden Oberson.

During Hasbro's PonyRadioCon 2016 Russian presentation, it was revealed that the movie would feature eight new songs; during Hasbro's 2017 Toy Fair investor presentation however, it was revealed that the movie would feature a total of seven songs. At the same presentation, it was announced that a theatrical short based on the webseries Hanazuki: Full of Treasures will accompany the film.

On May 3, 2017, Daniel Ingram tweeted that he has started to record for the film at Ocean Way Studios in Nashville. He later tweeted on June 6 that the film will contain "70 mins of score". The film's score recording session wrapped up on June 11.

The film finished production on July 29, 2017.

The Friendship Festival
The film opens in Canterlot, where ponies from all over Equestria have gathered for the first Friendship Festival, and Spike runs through town with an armful of scrolls. At the castle, Princess Twilight Sparkle nervously prepares for a meeting with the other princesses. When Spike arrives, he assures her that everything will be fine.

Twilight enters the throne room and meets with Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Cadance, asking that they reposition the sun and moon for the concert performance of pony pop star Songbird Serenade. However, the princesses tell Twilight that each of their magic serves a purpose and that, as the Princess of Friendship, she already has all the magic she needs to make the festival a success.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Mane Six set up the festival's main stage area: Rainbow Dash clears the weather, Pinkie Pie makes balloon animals, Fluttershy rehearses with her chorus of songbirds, Applejack hands out apple cider, and Rarity decorates the stage. Twilight approaches and shares with them her disappointment in the other princesses' rejection of her festival ideas. Despite her nervousness, her friends have the utmost confidence in her, leading into the song We Got This Together.

At the end of the song, Pinkie Pie accidentally fires a multi-layered cake from her party cannon that lands on Twilight and makes a mess. When Songbird Serenade arrives for her sound check, Twilight briefly embarrasses herself by splattering cake on Songbird's jacket.

Storm over Canterlot
All of a sudden, a black storm cloud appears in the sky over Canterlot. A large, ominous airship emerges from the clouds and lands on the festival grounds. A small hedgehog named Grubber comes out of the ship, announcing his arrival on behalf of the Storm King, and introduces the Storm King's lieutentant Tempest Shadow, a unicorn with a broken horn. When the four princesses greet Tempest, she demands the immediate surrender of their magic. When they refuse, more airships appear, and an army of Storm Creatures invades the city.

Tempest uses magical orbs to turn the princesses into obsidian statues. Just before she is petrified, Celestia tells Luna to go south beyond the Badlands and seek help from the "Queen of the Hippo". Tempest almost turns Twilight to stone as well, but Rainbow Dash swoops in to save her, causing Muffins to get caught in the crossfire. The Mane Six and Spike try to escape the city, but the Storm Creatures cut off their escape route. Twilight blasts them with her magic, but it reflects off one of their shields and destroys the bridge they're standing on, and they plummet into the river and over a waterfall.

Once the ponies are safe from danger, they try to decide what to do. Having heard Celestia's earlier instructions to Luna, Twilight suggests they go south and seek out the "Queen of the Hippos" themselves. Some of the ponies are scared of traveling beyond Equestria's borders, but they stick with Twilight nonetheless.

Meanwhile, back in Canterlot, all of the ponies have been captured and put in chains. In the throne room, Tempest communicates with the Storm King via potion spell, and the Storm King asks if she's captured the Alicorn princesses. Because the Storm King needs the magic of all four princesses to power his Staff of Sacanas and restore Tempest's horn, she tells him to give her three days to prepare for his arrival. Unfortunately, Grubber enters and informs her that Twilight escaped.

City in the desert
Some time later, the Mane Six travel through a vast desert, and Pinkie Pie is getting delirious from the heat. As Spike collapses from exhaustion, he discovers a cobblestone road leading to a small, industrial city called Klugetown. The city is populated by shady creatures looking to buy and sell anything, and the ponies' arrival is noticed by an anthropomorphic cat in a red coat. Twilight suggests they not draw too much attention to themselves, but Pinkie immediately does just that by asking around about the Queen of the Hippos.

The creatures of Klugetown become interested in buying the ponies and Spike, but the cat in the red coat intervenes, claiming them to be infected with a fatal illness called pastelus coloritis. The creatures flee from the "infected" ponies, and Twilight's friends thank the cat—who introduces himself as Capper—for his help. When Capper offers to lead them to the Hippos, Twilight is wary about trusting him, but he assures them through song that he can guide them through this unfamiliar and dangerous city. Near the end of the song, Capper tells a creature—Needy—outside his home to inform someone named Verko that he has something to settle his debt.

Meanwhile, Tempest and Grubber arrive in Klugetown in pursuit of Princess Twilight and ask around for her whereabouts. A large fish creature believes Tempest is an accomplice to Capper's early deception and threatens her, but she incapacites him easily and asks for more information.

At Capper's house, the ponies are taken by his various belongings, and they regale him with stories of Equestria. As thanks for his assistance earlier, Rarity fixes up Capper's coat, and he is surprised by her generosity. In her search of Capper's collection of books, Twilight discovers that Celestia was referring not to the Queen of the "Hippos" but rather the Hippogriffs, half-pony half-eagle creatures who live at the top of Mount Aris. Just as Capper offers to secure them an airship for their journey, mob boss Verko arrives to buy the ponies from him, revealing his true intentions.

Tempest and Grubber soon arrive as well, and the ponies escape using Verko as a distraction. After a hectic windmill chase across the city, the Mane Six stow away on an airship just before it departs from the Klugetown docks. Meanwhile, Tempest takes Capper prisoner and demands to know where the Mane Six are going. Capper, remembering the generosity that Rarity showed him, points Tempest toward Black Skull Island—in the opposite direction of Mount Aris.

Celaeno and the pirates
On the airship, the ponies hide from its crew of anthropomorphic parrots, but they are soon discovered. As indicated by the insignia on their uniforms, they are also in league with the Storm King. As the parrots decide what to do with the stowaways, they turn to their leader Captain Celaeno. After consulting the Storm King's rule book, Celaeno declares that they be tossed overboard. But just before they do so, the union whistle blows, and the ponies unwittingly join the parrots for a gruel lunch.

Celaeno and her crew are indentured delivery parrots for the Storm King. When Twilight asks to "deliver" her and her friends to Mount Aris, Celaeno refuses out of fear of suffering the Storm King's wrath. The ponies learn that before the parrots served the Storm King, they used to be sky pirates. Through the song Time to Be Awesome, Rainbow Dash and her friends encourage the parrots to oppose the Storm King's iron-fisted rule and return to their swashbuckling ways. Inspired by Rainbow's words, the parrots discard their uniforms and raise their ship's rainbow-colored sails. In celebration of the pirates' return to glory, Rainbow Dash performs a sonic rainboom against Twilight's wishes.

In the distance, Tempest sees the rainboom, realizes Capper lied to her, and turns her airship around. As Tempest's ship approaches Celaeno's, the pirates hide Twilight and her friends below deck. Tempest and Grubber board the ship and asks where Twilight is, but Celaeno and her crew claim ignorance. Below deck, Twilight fears the pirates will give them up and comes up with an idea. She opens the hatch on the ship's undercarriage, and the ponies fall through the sky. In midair, Twilight uses a crate, a Storm King flag, and some rope to create a makeshift hot-air balloon, and she and her friends fly toward Mount Aris.

Back on Captain Celaeno's airship, Tempest finds Twilight's map and learns of her and her friends' next destination. As punishment for harboring the princess in secret, Tempest destroys Celaeno's ship.

Kingdom of the seaponies
After climbing the long stairs leading up Mount Aris, the Mane Six and Spike finally reach the Hippogriff Kingdom but find it to be abandoned and in ruins. As the ponies start to wonder if their journey was in vain, they hear someone humming and follow the sound to an underground pond. When the humming creature hears the ponies approach, it escapes into the water. Twilight and her friends try to pursue the creature into the pond, but they are suddenly sucked into a whirlpool and trapped in a submerged cavern. Before they drown, magical air bubbles appear to allow them to breathe, courtesy of the creature they encountered earlier. When the creature learns that the Storm King invaded the Mane Six's home and that they are looking for the Hippogriffs, she reveals herself to be a seapony named Princess Skystar. Understanding the ponies' plight, Skystar takes them to meet her mother.

The ponies find themselves in the underwater kingdom of Seaquestria, home to the seaponies. In the throne room, Skystar introduces the ponies to her mother Queen Novo, who is furious to see surface dwellers in her domain. After Skystar vouches for them, Twilight asks what happened to the Hippogriffs, and Skystar tells the story against her mother's wishes. Long ago, the Hippogriffs did indeed live on Mount Aris, but the Storm King invaded their home, and they fled. Skystar reveals that the seaponies are, in fact, the Hippogriffs themselves, transformed by Queen Novo's magical pearl. Novo demonstrates her pearl's power by transforming the Mane Six into seaponies and Spike into a pufferfish. Twilight asks if she can use the pearl to save Equestria from the Storm King, but Novo refuses in order to keep it from falling into the wrong hands.

As Novo leaves for her seaweed wrap, Skystar, eager to make new friends, invites the ponies to stay in Seaquestria forever, but they decline, saying their home and families are in Equestria. Though saddened, Skystar understands and leaves. Pinkie Pie feels sorry for Skystar and asks if they can stay a little longer. Twilight unexpectedly agrees and urges Pinkie and the rest of their friends to show Skystar a good time.

Pinkie approaches the sad Skystar and starts singing One Small Thing, offering to have some fun with her before they leave. Their games together slowly turn into a celebration, and the rest of the seaponies join in. Even Queen Novo gets swept up in the friendship party and decides to trust the outsiders. However, before Novo can offer to do something to help them, an alarm is heard, and Twilight is caught trying to steal Novo's pearl. Novo, hurt and angered by Twilight's deception, banishes her and her friends from Seaquestria.

"You don't deserve to be one of us."

- Queen Novo

Return to Equestria
Back in their original forms, the Mane Six and Spike wash up on the shores of the Basalt Beach near Mount Aris; Twilight's friends are furious with her for trying to steal from the seaponies. Twilight defends her decision by saying they aren't in Equestria, and that their usual methods of resolving problems aren't good enough to save their home. As Pinkie and Twilight get into a heated argument about how little Twilight trusts her friends, Twilight angrily lashes out by saying she'd be better off without friends like them. Twilight tries to take back what she said, but Pinkie refuses to hear it and walks off, with the rest of their friends following after. Spike attempts to comfort Twilight, but she falls into deep remorse over her actions.

All of a sudden, Spike gets seized by a Storm Creature. As Twilight tries to save him, Tempest captures her. On Tempest's airship, Tempest taunts Twilight over losing her friends. When Twilight asks Tempest why she's doing this to her fellow ponies, Tempest sings Open Up Your Eyes and reveals her tragic backstory. As a young filly, she was friends with two unicorns named Glitter Drops and Spring Rain, who lost their ball in the cave of an ursa minor while playing one day. When young Tempest tried to retrieve the ball, the ursa broke her horn. Her magic became unstable and dangerous, causing her friends to shun her out of fear.

Tempest learned from then on that friendship is a foolish notion, and she takes Twilight back to Canterlot, where the ponies are still kept in chains and cages, including Songbird Serenade. Tempest returns to the castle with Twilight in tow, just in time for the Storm King's arrival. With the four Alicorn princesses gathered together, the Storm King uses the Staff of Sacanas to steal their magic and make himself even more powerful.

Back at the Basalt Beach, the rest of the Mane Six feel bad about abandoning Twilight. As they consider going back to apologize, Spike appears and informs them that Twilight's been captured. The ponies believe there's no way to get back to Canterlot or challenge the Storm King's forces, but Capper suddenly appears with the cavalry: Captain Celaeno and her pirate crew. Princess Skystar, having used Queen Novo's pearl to transform back into a Hippogriff, also joins them—at the risk of getting in trouble with her mother.

Battle for Canterlot
With the magic of the Alicorn princesses, the Storm King is excited by his power to control the sun and moon. At the Canterlot city entrance, Capper disguises himself as a pastry chef delivering a congratulatory cake for the Storm King, and the ponies pull the cake cart while pretending to be captured. The gluttonous Grubber sees the cake being carted through town and takes a bite out of it, and he notices the eyeball of someone hiding inside. With their cover blown, Skystar and the pirates burst out of the cake, and a battle breaks out between the ponies' forces and the Storm Creatures.

The battle reaches the castle courtyard, and Twilight and Tempest look down at it from the balcony. The Storm King is sickened by the "magic of friendship" and uses his staff to create a giant lightning storm over Canterlot, forcing Twilight's friends to take shelter. Tempest reminds the Storm King of their deal for him to restore her horn, but the Storm King goes back on his word and reveals that he merely used her for his own ends. Enraged by this treachery, Tempest attacks the Storm King. During their brief confrontation, Tempest nearly flies off the balcony and into the cyclone, but Twilight saves her.


 * Tempest Shadow: Why are you saving me?
 * Twilight Sparkle: Because this is what friends do.

The Storm King prepares to finish off both Twilight and Tempest, but the rest of Twilight's friends use Pinkie's party cannon to launch themselves through the cyclone and knock the Storm King over. While Twilight reconciles with her friends, the Staff of Sacanas' magic surges out of control. Together with her friends, Twilight races to seize the staff before the Storm King does, and both Twilight and the King are lost in the raging storm. Just as it appears that Twilight is gone forever, she floats back down with the staff in her possession, much to her friends' relief.

Just then, the Storm King returns holding another orb to turn Twilight and her friends to stone. Before he can do so, Tempest jumps in the way, and the orb turns herself and the Storm King to obsidian. Twilight keeps Tempest from falling off the balcony, but the petrfied Storm King plummets down and shatters into pieces. The ponies are shocked by Tempest's sacrifice, and Twilight uses the Staff of Sacanas to de-petrify her and the princesses, free the ponies from captivity, and restore Canterlot back to normal.

Epilogue
The Friendship Festival continues, and Songbird Serenade takes the stage to thank Princess Twilight and her friends for saving Equestria. As Songbird performs the song Rainbow, Rarity gives Capper a new cape, and Queen Novo and the other Hippogriffs join them—with Novo grounding Skystar for leaving home without permission.

In the middle of the festivities, Twilight notices a sad Tempest all by herself. She invites Tempest to stay in Equestria and offers her friendship, but Tempest is still upset about her broken horn. Twilight tells her that her magic is still as powerful as the pony who wields it. In acceptance of their new friendship, Tempest creates fireworks for Songbird Serenade's performance. When Pinkie Pie compliments Tempest's magic display, Tempest reveals her real name: Fizzlepop Berrytwist.

"That is the most awesome name ever!"

- Pinkie Pie

As the "pointy art"-style credits roll, the ponies, their new friends, and the Storm Creatures celebrate together, and Songbird Serenade's song transitions to Off To See The World. As the ending crawl begins, Spike waves goodbye to the departing audience. Gummy, some baby Hippogriffs, as well as Skystar's oyster friends, Shelly and Sheldon, all play with the ending crawl. At the end of the credits, Princess Celestia raises the sun.

Cast
Canterlot Featured Voices Klugetown Featured Voices Additional Voices
 * Uzo Aduba: Queen Novo
 * Ashleigh Ball: Applejack and Rainbow Dash
 * Adam Bengis: Code Red
 * Emily Blunt: Tempest Shadow/Fizzlepop Berrytwist
 * Kristin Chenoweth: Princess Skystar
 * Michele Creber [sic]: Applebloom [sic]
 * Taye Diggs: Capper
 * Brian Dobson: Verko
 * Michael Dobson: Bulk Biceps
 * Andrea Libman: Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie
 * Max Martini: Boyle
 * Britt McKillip: Princess Cadance
 * Peter New: Big Mac
 * Mark Oliver: First Mate Mullet
 * Nicole Oliver: Princess Celestia and Lix Spittle
 * Michael Peña: Grubber
 * Zoe Saldana: Captain Celaeno
 * Liev Schreiber: The Storm King
 * Sia: Songbird Serenade
 * Tabitha St. Germain: Rarity, Princess Luna, Granny Smith, and Muffins
 * Tara Strong: Princess Twilight Sparkle
 * Sam Vincent: Party Favor
 * Cathy Weseluck: Spike the Dragon
 * Michael Dobson
 * Andrew McNee
 * Tegan Moss
 * Sabrina Pitre
 * Sam Vincent
 * Richard Ian Cox
 * Michael Dobson
 * Andrew McNee
 * Peter New: Mori
 * Nicole Oliver: Vera
 * Alistair Abell
 * Caitlyn Bairstow
 * Christine Chatelain
 * Brian Dobson
 * Paul Dobson
 * Rondel Reynoldson
 * Jason Simpson
 * Sarah Troyer
 * Siobhan Williams
 * Shannon Chan-Kent: Pinkie Pie (singing voice)
 * Kazumi Evans: Rarity (singing voice)
 * Rebecca Shoichet: Twilight Sparkle (singing voice)

Teasers and trailers
A 35-second teaser for the film debuted with the premiere of Smurfs: The Lost Village on April 7, 2017. On April 6, the teaser was posted to the My Little Pony Facebook page and the @MLPMovie Twitter.

A 2-minute and 18-second trailer for the film debuted on Hasbro and Lionsgate's official YouTube channels and the @MLPMovie Twitter on June 28, 2017, two days before its theatrical premiere alongside Despicable Me 3 on June 30, 2017.

The teaser crushes shadows to lower quality; the first trailer's English cut seemingly also does this, while the first trailer's German cut seemingly doesn't do this.

A shorter 1-minute and 15-second version of the June 2017 trailer was released on July 11 on the German website TrailerLoop.

A 1-minute and 45-second trailer was released by USA Today on September 12, 2017.

A 2-minute and 25-second behind-the-scenes featurette was published on the official My Little Pony: The Movie Facebook page on September 19, 2017.

Early publicity
At PonyRadioCon 2016 in Russia, a presentation from Hasbro revealed "Friendship Adventure", seapony and/or mermare involvement, and other elements and details; Litzky Public Relations' Sara McGovern, reaching out on behalf of Hasbro, has referred to these as "confidential Hasbro assets/information" and requested that a Derpy News post of said content be immediately removed.

On May 10, 2016, it was announced that a version of the film would be part of Lionsgate's roster at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.

The film's official logo was revealed by Hollywood Reporter on June 20, 2016 and on the My Little Pony Facebook page on June 22.

A preview of the film was privately screened during Hasbro's Toy Fair 2017 investor presentation on February 17, 2017. A sizzle reel containing a few screenshots from the film was shown at a private screening at Lionsgate's 2017 CinemaCon presentation on March 30.

A PopCrush article published on April 21, 2017 mentions that Paul "DJ White Shadow" Blair has "partnered with companies like Hasbro and Namco for production work on marketing campaigns and animated films (2017’s upcoming My Little Pony, for one)".

On May 22, 2017, the official website for the film was launched. On the same day, People Magazine posted a 360º panoramic image of the underwater city of Seaquestria along with the Mane Six in their seapony forms alongside Princess Skystar and Queen Novo.

On July 21, 2017, the film's cast and crew held a panel for the movie at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con and screened several clips of the movie.

On September 20, 2017, an exclusive sneak peek of the film was aired during the season twelve finale of America's Got Talent on NBC.

Casting
On August 7, 2015, it was announced that Tony and Emmy award-winning actress Kristin Chenoweth would star in the film as an all-new character. On Twitter, Chenoweth revealed that she had input in picking the color of her character's mane.

On April 27, 2016, The Hollywood Reporter announced that actors Michael Peña (Ant-Man) and Uzo Aduba ("Crazy Eyes" from the Netflix original series Orange is the New Black) were in talks to join the cast. On May 16, 2016, The Hollywood Reporter announced that Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan) and Taye Diggs (original "Benny" from the Broadway cast of Rent) have been added to the cast.

On July 22, 2016, the film's main cast performed a table read of one of its scenes at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con International and announced Australian singer-songwriter Sia to also be a cast member.

On October 10, 2016, Emily Blunt revealed to website PopSugar that she is playing "a nasty pony" in the film.

On February 10-12, 2017, the movie's supporting cast was announced through the actors' Twitter accounts and Facebook pages and the MLPMovie Twitter.

Other coverage
On June 15, 2016, the film's Twitter account was launched.

During a segment on the late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live! in late June 2016, cast member Liev Schreiber joked about playing "the evil monster who eviscerates all the little ponies".

Beginning in July 2016, Hasbro's official website has featured the film in a virtual timeline of the My Little Pony franchise's history.

A Twilight Sparkle cutout tweeted about by Tara Strong on July 14, 2016 uses The Movie 's art style.

At the 2016 New York Comic Con, Hasbro promoted the film with a clock counting down to the film's release date.

On May 23, 2017, BF Distribution Argentina tweeted a promotional image.

In the two-part My Little Pony Equestria Girls Minis short "The Show Must Go On", the Equestria Girls go to the theater for a showing of this film.

On August 4, 2017, Si Hay Cine released a promotional video aimed at movie viewers to turn off their phones during the film. This video features various scenes and a fragment of a song from the film.

On September 30, 2017, Discovery Family aired a half-hour behind-the-scenes special titled The Making of My Little Pony: The Movie.

Merchandise
In a June 24, 2016 tweet by Walgreens licensing manager Steven Anne, My Little Pony prototype toy packaging is shown bearing the movie logo and the Guardians of Harmony logo. Merchandise based on the film is slated for release in Fall 2017, including toy figures of the movie's new characters, electronic toys that move and sing, several undersea-themed playsets, a Guardians of Harmony toy, and a Canterlot & Seaquestria Castle Playset.

A My Little Pony: The Movie Prequel comic mini-series debuted with its first issue on June 28, 2017. Issue #1's official solicitation states, "This fall, My Little Pony: The Movie hits theaters, and this prequel mini-series is your first look at the fantastic adventure to come! Danger looms over Equestria as a new villain debuts!" Issue #2's official solicitation states, "As My Little Pony: The Movie nears, discover the new characters that will change the course of Pony history in this series! In this issue, an eccentric group takes to the skies on the search for adventure and treasure!" Issue #3's official solicitation states, "A mischievous new character is an expert at getting into trouble—and making daring get-aways! Learn more about the enigmatic rouge [sic] who the Ponies' fate will depend on!" Issue #4's official solicitation states, "The final Prequel issue hits featuring the most mysterious new enemy the Ponies have faced yet! The exciting caper that leads to the upcoming movie comes to a surprising conclusion!"

"Movie Tie-in" My Little Pony Annual 2018, "packed with games, stories, activities and more - plus exlusive [sic] content from the My Little Pony movie", was published by Orchard Books in the United Kingdom on August 10, 2017.

Several storybooks and chapter books have been or are scheduled to be released as tie-ins to the film, including the prequel story The Stormy Road to Canterlot, two junior novel adaptations, a comic adaptation and at least three follow-up stories. The official art book The Art of My Little Pony: The Movie was published on August 29, 2017.

On July 27, 2016, the Enterplay collectible card game's Twitter account tweeted "Would you like to see official #mlpccg cards based on the @MLPMovie next year? How epic would that be?! #MyLittlePonyMovie". In early May 2017, the Enterplay LLC Facebook page mentioned that "My Little Pony: The Movie is the single biggest MLP event in years, and it's coming this fall. We're gearing up a whole line of MLP Movie collectibles and cards, and we're now announcing this will include a My Little Pony: The Movie expansion, also coming this fall!"

The film's official soundtrack was released on September 22, 2017 by RCA Records.

The film was released on digital media on December 19, 2017, and was later released on DVD and Blu-ray on January 9, 2018. Its special features includes a fully animated deleted prologue, a music video for I'm the Friend You Need, three featurettes starring the Mane Six, an exclusive Equestria Girls animated short, and the Hanazuki: Full of Treasures short bundled with the film's theatrical release.

Quotes

 * Clear Skies: Princess Twilight must have her hooves full with this giant Festival!
 * Female Pony 2: Are you kidding?! She's smart and organized and cool under pressure! There's nothing she can't handle!
 * Twilight Sparkle: Ommmmm... Ohhhhhhh mmmmy goodness, I can't handle this! Ooh! Nothing is working! I just have to get it together! Just go in there! And ask! This is your Friendship Festival! Everypony's happiness rests in your hooves. [facehoofs] Ohhhh!


 * Twilight Sparkle: [sighs] I'm about to ask the three most royal princesses of Equestria for a huge favor! What if they reject me?
 * Spike: It'll be fine. Just remember the most important thing.
 * Twilight Sparkle: Smile?!


 * Rainbow Dash: Oh come on, it's fine!
 * Rarity: If you were raised in a barn! Ahem, no offense, Applejack.
 * Applejack: None taken. Especially since I wasn't raised in a barn. My family just happens to have a barn. Where I was born. And... spent most of my formative years...
 * Rainbow Dash: [very quickly] You were raised in a barn!


 * Pinkie Pie: Twilight, look at me! This will be the biggest celebration Equestria has ever seen! As the Princess of Friendship, you cannot fail! This day will define who you are! The pressure is intense! It's almost too much for any single pony to handle! [screams]


 * Songbird Serenade's Agent: You have visual on butter cream?
 * Songbird Serenade's Bodyguard: Visual confirmed. Go for cleanup.


 * Pinkie Pie: Ooh! I bet those are the clowns I ordered! Or definitely not the clowns I ordered.


 * [balloon deflates]
 * Party Favor: Brian, no!


 * Tempest Shadow: Easy as pie.
 * Grubber: Oh, I love pie.


 * Applejack: Everypony okay?
 * Rarity: I think my bottom's on backward.


 * Twilight Sparkle: Celestia told Luna to find the Queen of the... "Hippos". Luna can't, so I have to.
 * Rainbow Dash: Uh, hippos? Seriously?
 * Pinkie Pie: I've heard they're surprisingly graceful for their size. Huh, but they're always hungry.
 * Spike: Hungry?
 * Applejack: Hippos?


 * Grubber: Sorry, bad spell service. You want me to call him back?


 * Grubber: I know you're disappointed, but I've got one word for you: "Spongecake".


 * Pinkie Pie: [panting] There's sand in my... everything... Saving... Equestria... [demented laugh] Oh! Look! Maybe this guy knows which way to go! What's that, friend? We're lost? [demented laugh, coughs, faints]


 * Rarity: You know what they say – where there's a city, there's a spa!
 * Rainbow Dash: Who says that?
 * Applejack: 'Case you forgot, we're on a mission to save Equestria.
 * Rarity: I can multitask.


 * Twilight Sparkle: Okay. We just gotta stick together. Be careful who you talk to. And try to blend in.
 * Pinkie Pie: Can I have your attention please?!
 * Twilight Sparkle: [groans]


 * Vera: I want that fancy purple hair! I'll give ya two storm bucks for it!
 * Rarity: Two storm bucks?! It's worth more than that!


 * Pinkie Pie: Ooh! So many fun breakables!


 * Capper: Y'all sure y'all want the Hippos?
 * Pinkie Pie: Yessirree! The Queen of the Hippos!
 * Capper: Not like the Queen of the Lions, or Tigers, or Bears?
 * Fluttershy: Oh, my!


 * Captain Celaeno: Storm King's rule book says, "Throw them overboard."
 * Mane Six: Huh?
 * [parrots grunting]
 * [union whistle blows]
 * Captain Celaeno: All right! That's lunch!
 * [splut]
 * Twilight Sparkle: What?


 * Rainbow Dash: Whoa! You used to be pirates?!
 * Mullet: Um, we prefer the term "swashbuckling treasure hunters".


 * Rainbow Dash: Ya think she saw my sonic rainboom?
 * Twilight Sparkle: Are you kidding me?!?!


 * Rarity: We had to crash the balloon at the bottom of the mountain! That's it! I simply... cannot... even! I have nothing! The bad guys have won! I'm so sorryyyyyyyy-y-y-y!


 * Spike: Something bad happened here. Something that turned this whole place into a ghost town.
 * Fluttershy: A g-g-g-g-ghost town?!


 * Rarity: Oh, boy. I hate epic adventures.


 * Applejack: Hold on now. Lemme get this straight. When the Storm King came, you just abandoned your entire city and fled?
 * Princess Skystar: We didn't flee! We swam! Y'know, in order to flee.


 * Jamal: [chitters]
 * Queen Novo: Yes, Jamal?
 * Jamal: [chitters]
 * Queen Novo: Ooh! Time for my seaweed wrap. Later, girls!
 * Jamal: [chitters]
 * Queen Novo: Yes, a massage, too. Mama needs her deep tissue.


 * Applejack: What were you thinkin'? I mean, stealin' their pearl?
 * Twilight Sparkle: [sighs] It was the only way to save Equestria.
 * Pinkie Pie: 'Cept it wasn't! The Queen was going to say yes! We did what you told us and that's what made her realize we were ponies worth saving! [gasps] Unless... You didn't really want us to show her the best time ever! You just wanted us to distract her!
 * Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity and Fluttershy: [gasp]
 * Twilight Sparkle: I never would have done it, but this isn't Equestria! We can't just dance around with con artists, make rainbooms in the sky and expect everything to work out! It's not enough! We are not enough!
 * Pinkie Pie: No, Twilight! We stuck together! We were gonna get the help we needed! The only thing that stopped us... was you!
 * Twilight Sparkle: Well, I'm doing the best I can! It's all on me. I'm the one Tempest wants. I'm the last Princess!
 * Pinkie Pie: You're also the only one who doesn't trust her friends!
 * Twilight Sparkle: Well, maybe, I would've been better off without friends like you!
 * Pinkie Pie: [gasps]


 * Tempest Shadow: Aww, the "Princess of Friendship". With no friends! [chuckles] And no way out.


 * Twilight Sparkle: So sorry you felt so alone.
 * Tempest Shadow: I saw the truth. My "friends" abandoned me when times got tough. Looks like I'm not the only one. Face it, Princess. Friendship has failed you, too.
 * Twilight Sparkle: Friendship didn't fail me. I failed friendship.


 * Rarity: [angrily] Well! Look what the cat dragged in! Himself!


 * Captain Celaeno: We're on board to help you fight the Storm King! Just not on board our... actual ship.


 * Princess Skystar: Hellooooooo!! Me again! [giggles] I'm gonna get so grounded, but I talked things over with Shelly and Sheldon and they pointed out that you were just trying to help your friends.
 * Pinkie Pie: Ahhhh!
 * Princess Skystar: So I wanna help too. 'Cause ya know... one small thing... [whispering] can make a really big difference!


 * [storm creature growls]
 * Fluttershy: You seem tense. Do you wanna talk about it?
 * Storm Creature: Huh?


 * [storm creature blubbering]
 * Fluttershy: Let it all out.
 * Everypony else: Fluttershy!
 * Fluttershy: Oh! Sorry, our time is up. Buh-bye!
 * Storm Creature: Goodbye!


 * The Storm King: Let's get this storm started! Ooh, hey, that's good. I should trademark that.


 * Twilight Sparkle: It's... It's the Magic of...
 * The Storm King: Yeah, yeah! Friendship and flowers and ponies and bleh! I'm so totally over the cute pony thing.


 * Princess Skystar: [gasps] Mom!
 * Queen Novo: You are so grounded! [laughs]


 * Tempest Shadow: Well, that's one thing that never changes around here. The party.
 * Twilight Sparkle: Well, I hope you'll stay. More friends are definitely merrier.
 * Tempest Shadow: [sighs] But, um... my horn.
 * Twilight Sparkle: You know, your horn is pretty powerful, just like the pony it belongs to.
 * Tempest Shadow: I did tell you I wanted to show everypony in Equestria what I could do, right?


 * [from deleted prologue]
 * Twilight Sparkle: [narrating] In the magical land of Equestria, we have four powerful Princesses: one for the day, one for the night, one for family, and then there's me, Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship. It is my royal duty to make sure everypony feels like they belong. It's a lot to live up to. I mean, "Princess"? No pressure. Luckily, I have amazing friends who are there for me no matter what. That's what I want for everypony. And I always believe that as long as I have my friends and a well thought-out plan, I will be the Princess everypony needs me to be.
 * [glass cracks]
 * Twilight Sparkle: But some things...
 * [cracks]
 * Tempest Shadow: ...you just can't plan for. [chuckles evilly]