My Little Pony: A New Generation (2024)

My Little Pony: A New Generation is a 2021 computer-animated fantasy comedy film directed by Robert Cullen and José L. Ucha (in their feature directorial debuts), co-directed by Mark Fattibene with Cecil Kramer and Peter Lewis as producers, and written by Gillian Berrow and Tim Sullivan from a story by Cullen, Ucha, and Sullivan. Based on Hasbro's My Little Pony franchise, the film marks the start of the fifth incarnation of the franchise, which is set in the same universe as the previous generations, a first for the franchise. The film also marks Boulder Media's first feature film.

Plot[]

In the earth pony seaside town of Maretime Bay, Argyle Starshine teaches his daughter Sunny Starscout about tales of old Equestria when earth ponies, pegasi and unicorns lived together. Although most earth ponies dismiss these ideas as myths and now live in fear of the other two pony races, Sunny hopes that all three races can be friends.

Years later, after Argyle's death, Sunny now works as a smoothie stand vendor all while continuously tries to change the minds of the other earth ponies, purposely disrupting a showcase of anti-pegasi and unicorn technology by factory owner Phyllis Cloverleaf. Hitch Trailblazer, Sunny's childhood friend and sheriff of Maretime Bay, pulls her away and prepares to send her back home when a unicorn suddenly wanders into the town. While most of the earth ponies flee, Sunny befriends the new unicorn, Izzy Moonbow, and quickly takes her to her home to hide from Hitch and his deputy Sprout, Phyllis' son. Learning from Izzy that unicorns have long since lost their magic and that the pegasi may be to blame, Sunny travels with her to the latter race's home in the mountaintop city of Zephyr Heights in order to ask for their help. The two elude Hitch and flee town, and Hitch leaves Sprout in charge while he pursues them. Sprout names himself sheriff, turns the citizens of Maretime Bay into a hostile mob, and commandeers Phyllis' factory to construct a giant war machine.

Sunny and Izzy are caught in Zephyr Heights and taken to meet Queen Haven and her two daughters, Pipp Petals and Zipp Storm. When Sunny starts asking about magic, Haven has them imprisoned in the dungeon. Zipp secretly visits them there and tells them that the pegasi have also lost their magic and cannot fly; the royal family uses wires to give the illusion of flight. She helps them escape and takes them to an abandoned transit station that Sunny realizes was used by all three pony races in the past. Sunny finds a set of stained glass windows depicting two crystals – one of which is set in Haven's crown – that may fit together and bring back the magic. The three concoct a plan to steal the crown during Pipp's performance that night. Hitch's arrival triggers a series of mishaps that reveal the royals' inability to fly; Haven is arrested, and the sisters are forced to flee the city with Sunny, Hitch, and Izzy. Hitch gradually overcomes his own prejudices and offers to help Sunny in her effort to reunite the pony races.

Izzy escorts the group to her home in the forest village of Bridlewood and disguises them as unicorns before leading them to Alphabittle, a tea shop owner who holds the unicorn crystal. Sunny wins it from him in a dance competition, but loses her disguise as she celebrates. As the group flees with the two crystals, they come across Haven, who has also escaped. Sunny and Izzy try to put the two crystals together, but they have no effect. Dejected, Sunny gives back the crystals and returns to Maretime Bay with Hitch.

While packing up her childhood toys, Sunny finds a third crystal intended to join with the other two, built into a lamp Argyle had made for her. As she races to tell Hitch, they discover that Sprout has turned the entire town to his side and is piloting his war machine in preparation for an attack on the other pony races. Sunny and Hitch hurry back to her home as Izzy, Pipp, Zipp, Haven, and Alphabittle arrive. Gathering the crystals, Sunny, Izzy, and Pipp try to put them together while Hitch and Zipp hold off Sprout's machine. Phyllis orders Sprout to stop, but he swerves around her and crashes into Sunny's home, destroying it and the frame in which the crystals must be set. Phyllis, Haven, Alphabittle, and Sunny's friends put aside their differences and come together to comfort her amid the rubble. In response, the crystals begin to glow and lift Sunny into the air, transforming her into an alicorn and restoring magic across the land. Sunny and her friends celebrate as ponies of all three races cooperate to clean up Sprout's mess and a new era of peace begins.

Cast[]

• Vanessa Hudgens as Sunny Starscout, an adventurous and virtuous earth pony-turned-alicorn who enjoys roller skating and wants all pony kinds to get along, and tries to return magic to the world in order to unite the three types of ponies as equals
• Kimiko Glenn as Izzy Moonbow, an energetic and curious unicorn from the Bridlewood Forest that loves crafting, who is the first non-earth pony Sunny befriended
• James Marsden as Hitch Trailblazer, an earth pony who is the kind and hard-working sheriff at Maretime Bay and Sunny's childhood friend
• Sofia Carson as Pipp Petals, a Pegasus princess from Zephyr Heights who is a talented pop icon and loves to be a good influence on others and entertain other ponies with her music
• Liza Koshy as Zephyrina "Zipp" Storm, Pipp's older sister and a rebellious Pegasus princess from Zephyr Heights who enjoys athletics and science
• Elizabeth Perkins as Phyllis Cloverleaf, an earth pony who owns Canterlogic, a company specializing in products to keep earth ponies "safe and stylish"
• Jane Krakowski as Queen Haven, a pegasus who is the mother of Pipp and Zipp and the monarch of Zephyr Heights
• Ken Jeong as Sprout Cloverleaf, an earth pony stallion, Phyillis' son, and deputy sheriff to Hitch at Maretime Bay
  • Alan Schmuckler provides Sprout's singing voice.
• Phil LaMarr as Alphabittle, a unicorn stallion from the Bridlewood Forest
• Michael McKean as Argyle Starshine, Sunny's father who tells her stories about Twilight Sparkle and her friends

Additionally, Arturo Hernández voices Jasper, Thunder, and Toots; Brooke Goldner voices Sweets; Gillian Berrow voices Zoom; Heather Langenkamp Anderson voices Dazzle Feather and Mayflower; Will Friedle voices Comet Tail, Glitter Cupcake, and Skye Silver; and director Robert Cullen voices Sparkle Chaser, Rob the Pony, and Wings. The voice actresses from My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic television series – Tara Strong as Twilight Sparkle, Ashleigh Ball as Applejack and Rainbow Dash, Andrea Libman as Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, and Tabitha St. Germain as Rarity – briefly reprise their roles in the film's opening scene.

Production[]

Development[]

In February 2019, it was reported that Hasbro was developing a computer-animated My Little Pony feature film. Reports later said that the film would mark the beginning of the franchise's fifth-generation, which was confirmed on September 17, 2020; My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic creator Lauren Faust first hinted that Hasbro was working on the fifth incarnation in 2018, when she denied any involvement on the franchise's next incarnation. On October 8, 2020, it was reported that the fifth incarnation, including the film, would center on a new set of characters, though with the possibility of characters from the previous incarnation appearing.

On January 29, 2021, Emily Thompson, Entertainment One's VP of global brand management, revealed that the film would be set in the same world as the fourth incarnation of the franchise, while still serving as the first entry in the fifth incarnation, being set years after the events depicted in the previous incarnation. Thompson explained that her decision was made because the producers felt it would have "felt wrong" to not to further explore the lore and worldbuilding established by the fourth incarnation.

On February 12, 2021, it was reported that the founder of Boulder Media, Robert Cullen, along with José Ucha would serve as directors, with Mark Fattibene set to co-direct the film. Cecil Kramer and Peter Lewis were also announced as producers for the film.Executive producers include former Friendship is Magic co-showrunner and writer Meghan McCarthy and Allspark Animation president Stephen Davis.

Voice cast and recording[]

On June 30, 2021, Vanessa Hudgens, Kimiko Glenn, James Marsden, Sofia Carson, Liza Koshy, Jane Krakowski, Ken Jeong, Phil LaMarr, and Michael McKean were revealed to be the film's main cast. Part of the film's recording sessions had to be done remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic; Koshy felt that working during the pandemic encompassed with the film's message about "not leaning into the fear". Koshy was encouraged by Glenn to ad-lib lines during recording.

While Tara Strong, voice actress for Twilight Sparkle, said that she would not reprise her role in the fifth incarnation in April 2020 (due to reprising her role in My Little Pony: Pony Life), she ultimately reprised her role alongside fellow Friendship Is Magic cast members Andrea Libman, Ashleigh Ball, and Tabitha St. Germain for the film's prologue.

Trivia[]

• According to many of the fans each of the main characters may be a descendent of the Mane 6:
  • Sunny is a descendant of Twilight Sparkle
  • Hitch is a descendent of Fluttershy
  • Izzy is a descendent of Pinkie Pie
  • Zip is a descendent of Rainbow Dash
  • Pip is a descendent of Rarity
  • Sprout is a descendent of AppleJack
• The film is set in the present day, despite this, the Pegasi are the only ponies to actually use technology.
• Unlike the series, there are no monsters or mythical creatures of any kind, even cities such as Canterlot, Ponyville and Cloudsdale are not present.

Goofs[]