How accessible will the story be?

[Steve Piranha 28,877]

Maybe the first scene will (should?) be a brief bit about Pinkie bringing everyone up to speed.

 

"Hiya! I know a lot you know about me and my friends, but for the ones who don't, it's kinda like this..."

Considering Pinks' habit, plus being one of the most (if not THE most) popular Mane6 within the target audience, it's not a bad idea. With the plus that'll show more of her character to the newbies without the need to speak it

 

It'd probably be done in a story book style like how they started the first episode of the series. Like it might explain the mane six and call them the elements of harmony. Briefly going over each event. And they might introduce the characters by saying: "Rainbow Dash The Elemtn Of Loyalty".

that's also a good idea. A call-back to the very beginning is a great show how far FiM went, plus their style of storytelling will take little time, but keep the newbies to date of what they need to know 

[Tilgoreth 1,915]

Considering Pinks' habit, plus being one of the most (if not THE most) popular Mane6 within the target audience, it's not a bad idea. With the plus that'll show more of her character to the newbies without the need to speak it

 

 

that's also a good idea. A call-back to the very beginning is a great show how far FiM went, plus their style of storytelling will take little time, but keep the newbies to date of what they need to know

 

Well it might get confusing for Starlight. "And then they met Hitler pony and she became there friend". Granted they might skip over her. It depends on whether or not she'll actually be in the movie.

[Megas 27,087]

1. Maybe right now but changing the image will gain newer audiences. And I don't mean making it incredibly dark or anything but giving it a story that adults will be intrigued by and beautiful animation. Speaking of...

 

2. You don't understand where I'm coming from. See, in movies like the Powerpuff Girls Movie or 80s Transformers, the production quality, while certainly amped up, still felt far too much like an episode of the show and not an actual movie. Whether you like it or not the structure and overall execution will be vastly changed while still keeping the heart of the show. And FYI getting people from Disney is a great move that not only provides advertising benefits but will provide veteran experience to get outside audiences interested. And there's a difference between one or two celebrity voice casts and seven.

I'm positive that you haven't seen most of the movies your talking about if you seriously think the 80's Transformers movie "felt too much like an episode from the show". Also getting high profile people never guarantees quality as we've seen many times in the movie industry, you can have Steven Spielburg heavily advertised for your movie but that doesn't mean it still can't be crap, which we've seen happen

 

3. My expectations are high because of the hype the makers themselves are putting behind this. I won't be mad if it's not a masterpiece but I want this film to be good not only on it's own merits but by the standard of general film. I don't want it to fall into the cringy, "modernized" trap that EQG does.

 

I'm just looking at the film from an objective view and what I think is the best move for Hasbro to make. And so far they're listening.

 

Problem is that not only you try to project your insane expectations onto others, your often presenting your baseless speculation as facts, over a movie we haven't even seen so much of a finished still of, much less a trailer

 

 

 

And that's why I think the movie's run time should exceed 1 hr 40 min. Overall time shouldn't be an issue if it's paced well.

80-90 minutes is usually the average for both a family/kids film and movie adaptations(even ones for adult cartoons), 1h 40m is waaaaay too long for an MLP movie

 

Unless they want to do something really insane there's really no reason to go over that

[TheAnimatorOfficial 566]

I'm positive that you haven't seen most of the movies your talking about if you seriously think the 80's Transformers movie "felt too much like an episode from the show". Also getting high profile people never guarantees quality as we've seen many times in the movie industry, you can have Steven Spielburg heavily advertised for your movie but that doesn't mean it still can't be crap, which we've seen happen

Problem is that not only you try to project your insane expectations onto others, your often presenting your baseless speculation as facts, over a movie we haven't even seen so much of a finished still of, much less a trailer

 

80-90 minutes is usually the average for both a family/kids film and movie adaptations(even ones for adult cartoons), 1h 40m is waaaaay too long for an MLP movie

 

Unless they want to do something really insane there's really no reason to go over that

1hr 40 min is the average time for a family movie. Anything shorter results in a rushed and wasted movie with this many characters.

[Megas 27,087]

1hr 40 min is the average time for a family movie. Anything shorter results in a rushed and wasted movie with this many characters.

Spongebob, Beavis And Butthead, Recess, Rugrats AND Rugrats In Paris, South Park, The Simpsons, Wild Thornberries, Powerpuff Girls, Jimmy Neutron, and Transformers, all films ranging from "well received" to "critically acclaimed" have runtimes ranging from 75 to 90 minutes with plenty of plots and characters to work with and they handled it fine

 

There's honestly no reason for MLP to have a runtime past 90, at that point your just bloating it

Edited January 3, 2017 by Megas

[Tilgoreth 1,915]

1hr 40 min is the average time for a family movie. Anything shorter results in a rushed and wasted movie with this many characters.

Not for an animated movie. Most are usually an hour and twenty minutes at the . And that is pushing it. The movie probably won't be much longer than a standard EQG movie.

Spongebob, Beavis And Butthead, Recess, Rugrats AND Rugrats In Paris, The Simpsons, Wild Thornberries, Powerpuff Girls, Jimmy Neutron, and Transformers, all films ranging from "well received" to "critically acclaimed" have runtimes ranging from 75 to 90 minutes with plenty of plots and characters to work with and they handled it fine

 

There's honestly no reason for MLP to have a runtime past 90, at that point your just bloating it

Its also due to expense. Animated movies cost a lot of money to make. So they don't exactly have the budget for a two and a half hour story.

[TheAnimatorOfficial 566]

Spongebob, Beavis And Butthead, Recess, Rugrats AND Rugrats In Paris, The Simpsons, Wild Thornberries, Powerpuff Girls, Jimmy Neutron, and Transformers, all films ranging from "well received" to "critically acclaimed" have runtimes ranging from 75 to 90 minutes with plenty of plots and characters to work with and they handled it fine

 

There's honestly no reason for MLP to have a runtime past 90, at that point your just bloating it

All of them except the Simpsons Movie were mediocre at best. Don't know where you're getting the acclaim from as the reviews tend to be incredibly average to below average.

 

You are accepting mediocrity just because everyone else has. I don't. I want this film to be far better than other cartoon adaptations.

 

I'm sorry but this film needs an extra 10-20 minutes to flesh the plot out with 6 main characters and 6 side characters (and that's not including the CMC or the princesses).

Not for an animated movie. Most are usually an hour and twenty minutes at the . And that is pushing it. The movie probably won't be much longer than a standard EQG movie.

Its also due to expense. Animated movies cost a lot of money to make. So they don't exactly have the budget for a two and a half hour story.

1. 1 hour and 10 minutes is the average Equestria Girl run time. That's ridiculously short. No character will be developed properly. So is 1 hour 20 minutes. The 1 hour 30 minute films are usually reserved for slice of life movies, not adventures with many characters.

 

I don't get it. What's the harm in having the movie an extra 15 minutes longer? Little kids aren't going to be bored; they sat through the 1 HOUR 57 MINUTE Cars fine.

 

2. Hasbro can afford those extra 15 minutes. MLP is their biggest franchise. They'll invest in it however much they need to.

 

And where the hell are you getting 2.5 hours from? I said around 100-110 minutes, not 150.

Edited January 3, 2017 by TheAnimatorOfficial

[Mesme Rize 15,681]

1hr 40 min is the average time for a family movie. Anything shorter results in a rushed and wasted movie with this many characters.

 

There have been alot of great animated movies (especially from disney) over the years, that even ran under 90 minutes. The Lion King, Toy Story, The Jungle Book, The Nightmare before Christmas, beauty and the beast, my neighbor totoro, The triplets of Bellevue, fantastic mr.fox, the secret of NIMH, etc.

 

I could go on, but you get the picture. Most of these movies are at best considered masterpieces, or at worst considered cult classics.

[Tilgoreth 1,915]

All of them except the Simpsons Movie were mediocre at best. Don't know where you're getting the acclaim from as the reviews tend to be incredibly average to below average.

You are accepting mediocrity just because everyone else has. I don't. I want this film to be far better than other cartoon adaptations.

I'm sorry but this film needs an extra 10-20 minutes to flesh the plot out with 6 main characters and 6 side characters (and that's not including the CMC or the princesses).

 

1. 1 hour and 10 minutes is the average Equestria Girl run time. That's ridiculously short. No character will be developed properly. So is 1 hour 20 minutes. The 1 hour 30 minute films are usually reserved for slice of life movies, not adventures with many characters.

I don't get it. What's the harm in having the movie an extra 15 minutes longer? Little kids aren't going to be bored; they sat through the 1 HOUR 57 MINUTE Cars fine.

2. Hasbro can afford those extra 15 minutes. MLP is their biggest franchise. They'll invest in it however much they need to.

And where the hell are you getting 2.5 hours from? I said around 100-110 minutes, not 150.

Listen some of the longest animated movies are two hour long anime movies. Most companies don't make movies that long. Also the movie at most will be an hour and twenty minutes. Or maybe thirty minutes. But more than that is pushing it. It's hard to have a long movie without a lot of filler.

[TheAnimatorOfficial 566]

Listen some of the longest animated movies are two hour long anime movies. Most companies don't make movies that long. Also the movie at most will be an hour and twenty minutes. Or maybe thirty minutes. But more than that is pushing it. It's hard to have a long movie without a lot of filler.

What filler? Do you guys not get that this series is notorious for squashing stories into short times? The problem is the exact opposite of filler.

 

I told you. The film can't compromise time and waste an opportunity for a fantastic film. Y'all are too blind to good story management.

There have been alot of great animated movies (especially from disney) over the years, that even ran under 90 minutes. The Lion King, Toy Story, The Jungle Book, The Nightmare before Christmas, beauty and the beast, my neighbor totoro, The triplets of Bellevue, fantastic mr.fox, the secret of NIMH, etc.

 

I could go on, but you get the picture. Most of these movies are at best considered masterpieces, or at worst considered cult classics.

Those films focus on two characters, not 6 plus. If they need extra time then by golly they should take it to make the film as well made as possible.

[Megas 27,087]

All of them except the Simpsons Movie were mediocre at best. Don't know where you're getting the acclaim from as the reviews tend to be incredibly average to below average.

I'm positive you didn't read any of those pages at all as they all, all of them received "generally favorable" reception. Most of them were modest sucesses, and are well loved by their respective audiences. Ask anyone who simply enjoyed these shows in question and you find a lot of them had very much enjoyed their movies. Fuck, Transformers eventually became a cult classic for how ballsy a lot of the stunts they pulled in it(like killing off Prime). You seem to be acting like movie reception is a lot like video game reception where anything below a 9 is not worth your time.

 

 

 

You are accepting mediocrity just because everyone else has. I don't. I want this film to be far better than other cartoon adaptations.

 

Quit putting words in my mouth, you don't speak for me or for anyone else. Unlike you I don't think a movie to be fucking Shakespearian to think it's a good film. I'm sorry I don't treat the movie like it's the second coming of Christ, but I seriously believe your setting yourself up for disappointment

 

 

 

I'm sorry but this film needs an extra 10-20 minutes to flesh the plot out with 6 main characters and 6 side characters (and that's not including the CMC or the princesses).

 

Besides the fact that we have absolutely no plot(besides the mane 6 travel beyond Equestria to defeat bad guys), having plenty of characters to work with means diddly squat. You shouldn't need more time to flesh out a plot and characters, just because there are supposed to be 12 of them, especially if half of them are characters the audience should be familiar with. At that point your wasting money to bloat the movie when it likely doesn't need it, money that could be better used for other departments

 

Actually, that's another thing with this kind of movie, with most film adaptations of TV shows, the writers automatically assume the audience is familiar with the universe, it isn't some sort of reimagining, reboot or anything, it's an addition to that show's universe. The writers shouldn't have to waste time and exposition to reintroduce the audience to the characters and their world, the audience should already be familiar with them

 

This isn't like Spider Man or Harry Potter, where they adapt these universes from books or comic books for a different audience while bring their stories for a new audience. This is like the Star Wars Expanded Universe, where they are(er..were) part of the official canon, where with Star Wars books, games, and TV shows already assume your familiar with the Star Wars universe, they don't waste time reintroducing familiar characters

Edited February 28, 2017 by Whompy Whomperson

[TheAnimatorOfficial 566]

I'm positive you didn't read any of those pages at all as they all, all of them received "generally favorable" reception. Most of them were modest sucesses, and are well loved by their respective audiences. Ask anyone who simply enjoyed these shows in question and you find a lot of them had very much enjoyed their movies. Fuck, Transformers eventually became a cult classic for how ballsy a lot of the stunts they pulled in it(like killing off Prime). You seem to be acting like movie reception is a lot like video game reception where anything below a 9 is not worth your time.

 

 

 

Quit putting words in my mouth, you speak for me or for anyone else. Unlike you I don't think a movie to be fucking Shakespearian to think it's a good film. I'm sorry I don't treat the movie like it's the second coming of Christ, but I seriously believe your setting yourself up for disappointment

 

 

Besides the fact that we have absolutely no plot(besides the mane 6 travel beyond Equestria to defeat bad guys), having plenty of characters to work with means diddly squat. You shouldn't need more time to flesh out a plot and characters, just because there are supposed to be 12 of them, especially if half of them are characters the audience should be familiar with. At that point your wasting money to bloat the movie when it likely doesn't need it, money that could be better used for other departments

 

Actually, that's another thing with this kind of movie, with most film adaptations of TV shows, the writers automatically assume the audience is familiar with the universe, it isn't some sort of reimagining, reboot or anything, it's an addition to that show's universe. The writers shouldn't have to waste time and exposition to reintroduce the audience to the characters and their world, the audience should already be familiar with them

 

This isn't like Spider Man or Harry Potter, where they adapt these universes from books or comic books for a different audience while bring their stories for a new audience. This is like the Star Wars Expanded Universe, where they are(er..were) part of the official canon, where with Star Wars books, games, and TV shows already assume your familiar with the Star Wars universe, they don't waste time reintroducing familiar characters

Really because I've been hearing otherwise that this isn't directly connected with the show.

 

As for those other movies most of them have an IMDB or Rotten Tomatoes average of around 5-6/10. That's not good. That's average. I don't want a forgettable movie and neither should you.

 

Here's the thing: I don't just bend over for films. I look at them objectively. I expect them to impress me. If not then that's their problem.

Edited January 3, 2017 by TheAnimatorOfficial

[trademark2 485]

Guys of course its connected to the show. It's got the same characters in it for gods' sake. It has a different writer, but the characters won't be completely changing. It's in the same universe as MLP. It doesn't mean its going to be a rehash of what goes on in the show though, the characters will be doing different things and acting according to the situations they find themselves in. But they are still the same characters as the show, so people saying its not connected confuse me. 

 

 

Eh, two hours would be slightly too long for an animated feature but 100-110 min is perfect.

 

No way, I want 4 hours! or 5! 

Edited January 3, 2017 by trademark2

[Tilgoreth 1,915]

What filler? Do you guys not get that this series is notorious for squashing stories into short times? The problem is the exact opposite of filler.

I told you. The film can't compromise time and waste an opportunity for a fantastic film. Y'all are too blind to good story management.

 

Those films focus on two characters, not 6 plus. If they need extra time then by golly they should take it to make the film as well made as possible.

It won't focus on six desperate stories though. It will focus on one story involving six characters.

[ChB 18,532]

You are accepting mediocrity just because everyone else has. I don't. I want this film to be far better than other cartoon adaptations.

That's fine, but I would advise you not to get too optimistic. Twelve years ago, I was extremely excited for the first Spongebob movie. Being a hardcore fan of the old seasons, I was thinking it was going to be one of the best movies I've ever seen. Turns out, I was very disappointed.

[Sovereign Leader Rarity 12,000]

Will you have had to of watched the show? Will it be indecent in that you don't need to watch the show to understand it? I feel like it will be a movie that does financially well by critics will hate.

Probably not. I've read a very basic description of the movie off of Wikipedia. Seriously, though, they made Equestria Girls good, I think it's safe to presume that the movie will be at least decent

[Guest]

To be honest, I would like the movie to have more elements that only people who watch the show get because we don't want to re-explain the elements of harmony, do we?

[Sly 236]

You guys really need to chill down. Meghan Mccarthy, Jayson Thiessen,Michel Gagne, Rebecca Dart and all the other people who are working on this Movie are putting their hearts and souls in realizing it, and I know their words are honest (like in this tweet of Meghan: (Ihttps://mobile.twitter.com/MMeghanMcCarthy/status/816871030933200896).(I can say when somebody is honest and when he/she isn't, believe me, I speak by personal experiences). While I'm trying to not rise my expectation TOO much, I know this Movie will be satisfying at the very least. Also the animation style for this Movie is already promising enough for me.

 

Besides if somebody here is worried because he/she wasn't a fan of the s6 like myself (or better I hated just the finale not the rest of the season), keep in mind the people working on the Movie are the same ones who worked and directed the first five seasons NOT the ones who worked on the S6 and are working on the S7, so I wouldn't be worried for this Movie at all. Relax buddies.

Another thing I'd like to add to stay in topic: I think it WILL partially necessary having seen AT LAST the first four seasons to understand better the story, because Twilight is an alicorn in the Movie and by the concepts appeared in May in that Russian conference, her castle will be in it. So the Movie will be collocated after the S4 finale AT THE VERY LAST (if it can be collocated after the other seasons remains to be seen as we have to see. If for instance Starlight will appear in the Movie then it will be located after the S5 or the S6). However, I'm pretty much convinced that it will surely be setted after the S6, because the first plannings of the Movie started in late 2014 when the writing of the S5 was wrapped up and the S6's one started, plus Joe Ballarini's original first script was scrapped after he and Sony tried to turn the Movie into a crappy live action production (I'LL NEVER FORGIVE THEM FOR THAT GRRRRR.... Ehehm....) I guess Meghan and Rita took the writing around August 2015 when the writing of S6 was wrapped up as well so.... it's pretty probable that the Movie will be setted in that moment of the show. Wouldn't be surprised of that thought, even the Simpsons Movie was setted in the between of the two seasons it was released thought (can't remember which ones where thought). So....

Edited January 14, 2017 by Sly

[trademark2 485]

I'll also say, the reason there weren't many songs in season 6 is because they were making songs for the movie (I think). That's where the songs went, that's why they didn't have a song in the s6 finale 

[Thrond 3,257]

This is really my biggest concern, aside from an increasing (although perhaps unfounded) feeling of "too many cooks in the kitchen." General audiences won't know anything about, say, Twilight's journey from a hermit to the Princess of Friendship, so if the film bases any emotional beats on that, they're gonna fall completely flat. I'm sure the broad story will be fairly easy to follow and fairly exciting, and at two and a half hours there might even be a genuine emotional core to it, but there's a chance that it'll either gonna be inaccessible to a wider audience, or do absolutely zilch to progress the characters. It could surpass that expectation, and I admit to not having viewed many film sequels to TV shows lately, but right now I'm not really expecting it to be much more than cute, kind of exciting and hopefully pretty funny. In Rotten Tomatoes terms, would predict somewhere around the mid-70s, with a general critical consensus of something cute and funny but insubstantial. I have reservations, is what I'm saying; it seems healthy not to get my hopes up for top-tier pony.