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 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."

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


 * 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.

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

Home media
The film 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.

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

Animated shorts
Similar to the release of Rainbow Rocks, a series of animated shorts based on Friendship Games is slated to release prior to the film's premiere.

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.

Soundtrack
On June 12, 2015, Daniel Ingram teased the film's soundtrack via his Twitter page.

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

 * 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.


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