Harmony Unleashed: Between Light & Darkness Part 1 - Celestial Requiem

 is an upcoming ensemble live-action/animated science fantasy film based on characters from My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, Equestria Girls and Pony Life, as well as Harmony Unleashed by Hasbro, produced by Hollowfox Filmworks, eOne Studios, Hyperobject Industries, SakamotoPro, Taralicious Enterprises, and distributed by Montalvo Releasing and 20th Century Studios.

It is the sequel to Harmony Unleashed (ft. Any Cartoon Involved): Cartoon Wars, as well as the follow-up to Once Upon a Time... In Miami: A Harmony Unleashed Production, part one of the two-parter final films in the Guardians of Equestria arc and the 21st film in the Harmony Unleashed Saga film series. It is directed by Aaron Montalvo and written by Montalvo, Adam McKay, Ian Brennan, Dave Polsky, Dan Hernandez & Benji Samit from a story by Montalvo, McKay, Damian Shannon & Mark Swift.

It is released on May 28, 2021 in theatres and simultaneously on MontalVue through their VIP-OD banner for an additional price with the direct sequel, Harmonical Ascension set to be released on November 24, 2021 in theatres and December 24, 2021 simultaneously on MontalVue VIP-OD banner for an additional price. A combined version of both films are set to be released on MontalVue in Spring 2022.

The two-parter will commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Harmony Unleashed franchise with a double feature screening set to take place in New Jersey on November 11, 2021, as part of a "Harmony Unleashed: 120 Moons in 10 Years" Event.

Premise
After the events of Once Upon a Time... In Miami: A Harmony Unleashed Production, Aaron, his family and the gang announces a celebration to invite his friends far from home, as well as The Mane Six and their acquaintances to celebrate the retirement and succession of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna as rulers of Equestria. However, when The Storm King, Tirek and Grogar will enforce its plans to turn both Equestria and the world into a dark dystopia, The Mane Six and the Guardians of Equestria, alongside the human ponies, will team up together to prevent the three villains from turning their world into darkness, even if it means losing casualties during one last fateful battle.

Production
A concept for a final film was in development for years during the run of the Harmony Unleashed Saga. It was set to be written by Montalvo, Damian Shannon and Mark Swift with Montalvo directing the film. Sakamoto was going to co-direct alongside Montalvo but he ceded half of his position as director, giving Montalvo full direction of the films.

The film will be a 2-parter as similar to films like The Twilight Saga's Breaking Dawn, The Marvel Cinematic Universe's Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and The Hunger Games' Mockingjay, which those two-parters are conclusive event films.

Combined Film
Montalvo has talked about combining the 2-parter into a 4-hour/271-minute film after the exposure of Zack Snyder's Justice League. He was planning to release the film on MontalVue in 2022, calling the combined film, an answer to the Snyder Cut of Justice League. Later in October 2021 on the Montalvo Summit presentation at New York Comic Con, Montalvo announced that Parts 1 and 2 of the film will have a combined film with scenes not shown in theatres set for a Spring 2022 release as a Montalvo Original Film streaming on MontalVue. A teaser was shown after the final red band trailer of part 2.

Companion Documentary Series
MontalVue announced a companion Documentary limited series about the making of the franchise's two final films in the Guardians of Equestria Arc, separated in two cours of four episodes set between 2021 and 2022.

Liz Garbus will direct the documentary series, which will be produced alongside Koichi Sakamoto Hollowfox's Aaron Montalvo, Hasbro's Brian Goldner and Stephen Davis, Taralicious' Tara Strong and Danny Zuker, Toei's Takeyuki Suzuki, and eOne's Tara Long.

Release
The film is released on May 28, 2021 in 2D theatres, 3D theatres, drive-in theatres, Dolby Cinema and IMAX. Since being a two-parter, the film will be released back-to-back this year, as the second part will be released on November 24 and December 24, 2021. Amid Marvel Studios' Black Widow being pushed back to July 9, 2021, Montalvo announced that the movie has been pushed forward to May 28, 2021 to avoid competition with the film.

The film will also be simultaneously released on MontalVue VIP-OD particularly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic's negative impact on movie theaters across the United States (alongside the concerns with the new strain), with many of them remaining closed. In Latin America, the film will be released for free on MontalVue on June 11, 2021, two weeks after the film's theatrical release as similar with Disney+ releasing Raya and the Last Dragon weeks after its theatrical and Disney+ Premier Access release.

The film will be streaming for free on MontalVue in North America at no extra cost on October.