The Harmony Unleashed Saga

The Harmony Unleashed Saga is a comic science fantasy mixed-media franchise that is set on a fictional franchise-built universe since the YouTube Poop: TV Series.

It is mostly based on the My Little Pony franchise by Hasbro, mainly Friendship Is Magic and Equestria Girls, and the YouTube Poop television series, which ended in 2013. It is an alternate non-canon metaverse spin-off of the My Little Pony G4 series.

The film and television franchise is a satire of superhero action films with a mixture of comedy and action, and a combination of live-action and animation, revolving the themes of bonds with human and animal characters and the whole "Boy and his Pony" dynamic.

BackgroundEdit

First Harmony UnleashedEdit

On the launch/rebrand from Toonami to NaruIchi97 Television, the relaunch was celebrated with a full hour special event called Harmony Unleashed for YouTube Poop: The Series, acting as a two-parter special event.

Expansion from the EpisodeEdit

At first, during the time YouTube Poop: The Series was still running, Lionsgate Television announced a telefilm called "Harmony Unleashed: Evolution" set for a Summer 2012 release. The films started in 2012 after the production and development of Evolution, which, it was a successor to a scrapped YouTube Poop TV series special event, that was supposed to be its second installment. As of 2013, Aaron Montalvo was inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe, X-Men film series and the DC Extended Universe as in having spin-off installments that connect to the films' continuity and Dave Polsky will be the story consultant alongside Montalvo and Koichi Sakamoto as the film will consist of different directors for its spin-offs while Sakamoto helms the main course until Somber Awakening, with Chris Weitz, Mike Mitchell, Ridd Sorensen, and Aaron Montalvo set to direct future main course films. 

CrewEdit

The set of producers who remain unchanged were Montalvo, Japanese director Koichi Sakamoto (Power Rangers, Kamen Rider), and Hasbro's Brian Goldner (G.I. Joe, Battleship), Stephen Davis (Equestria Girls).

From 2012 to 2017, the first set of producers who worked with Montalvo were Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci, who previously worked on Hasbro-related media such as the Transformers films and Transformers: Prime.

Since their split, they have been replaced by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay of Gary Sanchez Productions, which the latter was inspired by the visuals of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. They have lasted from 2018 to 2019, where they have gone their separate ways. However, despite this and the fact that McKay and Messick have made a deal with Paramount Pictures under Hyperobject Industries, McKay will remain as a producer, with Messick promoted to the main producer, but Ferrell won't produce despite being part of the cast as Night Light Sparkle.

Voice actress Tara Strong, who voiced Twilight Sparkle, will be involved in the producer's stable through her Taralicious Enterprises banner starting with Harmony Unleashed: Foreverlasting and Guardians of Equestria: Lasting Resort. Her husband Craig Strong and Modern Family writer Danny Zuker will join the franchise as executive producers.

Amid Hasbro's acquisition and usage of Entertainment One, and his interest on the franchise, Mark Gordon, as part of an extended deal with eOne through his The Mark Gordon Company production banner, will join the producers for the franchise starting with Harmony Unleashed: Between Light and Darkness and Bright + Butter.

DistributionEdit

Lionsgate Era (2012-2017)Edit

The first film and the seventh-and-a-half/season premiere film of Alicorn Alter were distributed by Lionsgate Television. From 2012 to 2017, the films were distributed by Lionsgate, with spin-offs co-distributed by its subsidiaries such as Summit Entertainment (CDF, Humanitarian) and Pantelion Films (Harmony Jaeger). Lionsgate Premiere released the Guardians of Equestria Season 3 (Alicorn Alter) special event as a feature film for a limited theatrical and on-demand/streaming services on November 2015 after the television and home video release. 

20th Century Fox/20th Century Studios Era (2018-present)Edit

After the underperformance of Power Rangers and My Little Pony: The Movie, as well as their algorithm of 2D-only releases that made it financial failures (such as Hellboy 2019 and Kin), Montalvo decided to cut ties with Lionsgate as a distributor for Future Harmony Unleashed films, and later on, they plan to have Paramount Pictures distribute future films. However, as Disney seems unstoppable box-office wise with 3D releases of tentpole films and buyout of Fox, Montalvo made a deal with 20th Century Fox to distribute the films under both the distribution of Fox and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, starting with Humanitarian Combat. By surprise, with co-distribution by Fox, Netflix co-distributes the holiday special film of 2018.

Montalvo Releasing's Co-operative Distribution with Disney's Fox Studio (2019-present)Edit

In Fall 2019, After HolCom's film subsidiary HolCom Films is now rebranded into Montalvo Releasing and Disney's sudden change with the Fox division, it has been announced that they will make a deal with Disney to co-distribute films with Fox as well as being the main North American distributor while Fox and Disney's Buena Vista International label will distribute the film in Latin America, Europe, Australia, and Asia (Except Japan, which the distribution rights will go to Toei Company and Bandai Namco Arts co-operating with Fox and Montalvo Releasing). Since 2020, as Disney rebranded Fox as 20th Century Studios, Montalvo and Disney still retain their dual distribution deal.

Amid Hasbro's acquisition of Entertainment One, starting with Cartoon Wars, eOne and Buena Vista International started a joint deal to work with Montalvo Releasing on distributing the film worldwide. eOne will co-finance the film alongside Disney's partner TSG Entertainment with Allspark as his aid.

Later in October 2020, eOne and Montalvo Corporation strikes a multi-year deal to co-produce and distribute content from Hasbro-related and non-Hasbro related content produced by the latter company while bolstering its original content. For the franchise, the former company will continue co-financing and producing future films and TV shows, with joint distribution with BVI.

Cable & Streaming DealsEdit

The cable rights were helmed by Montalvo Television Networks (fka AM-Networks and HolCom Networks) under licenses from Lionsgate as if he feels like the universe won't be consistently connected with other channels such as HBO and Epix, who has both Summit and Lionsgate separated from each other through the network's deals. The rights are still in Montalvo Television Networks indefinitely for the time being, but the cable rights will be set to air as second-run on channels such as Showtime, HBO, FX, TNT, AMC, etc.

In 2019, In the wake of the streaming wars, Montalvo, HolCom Networks and Netflix approached into a deal to purchase the first-run streaming rights to the franchise's television shows and upcoming films, as well as having exclusive streaming rights to past films expanding the deal for future HU films to be in HCN Premium while all films will be streaming on HCN+ and Netflix.

In the wake of NBCUniversal's theatrical and on-demand distribution announcement and the COVID-19 pandemic, Disney and Montalvo Releasing announce the Premium video-on-demand release for a Harmony Unleashed film two weeks after a theatrical release with Harmony Unleashed: Foreverlasting, set for an April 3rd release on iTunes, Prime Video and other on-demand platforms. And later, on May 15 on Netflix and HCN+.

As a boost for financial gain due to theatres still closed due to COVID-19, MontalVue will release ​Harmony Unleashed (ft. Any Cartoon Involved): Cartoon Wars with a premium fee as part of its VIP-OD brand (as a 90-day premium rental) on September 18, 2020. The film will be free for all subscribers around December 2020 and January 2021.

YouTube Poop: The Series Special EpisodesEdit

Film SlateEdit

Feature FilmsEdit

Main article: List of Harmony Unleashed Saga films

Short FilmsEdit

Television SlateEdit

Other MediaEdit

AftershowEdit

Since 2014, a live talk aftershow named "Harmony Unleashed: Guardians' Aftermath" is airing on HCNPlay (since 2014 as AMStream) and HCN+ (since 2019), as similar to AMC's Talking Dead and WWE's After Total Divas. The show is hosted by Tara Strong, known for Twilight Sparkle's voice and she discuss episodes of Guardians of Equestria, as well as future episodes of future seasons and Netflix shows with guests. Strong, Craig Strong, Danny Zuker, Brian Goldner, Stephen Davis, Aaron Montalvo, and Koichi Sakamoto are set as the executive producers of the show.

ComicsEdit

TBA

MangaEdit

Equestria StrikersEdit

A manga adaptation named "Equestria Strikers" illustrated by Kana Ishida and written by Riku Sanjo is published by Shueisha's Jump Square on March 2015 and Aaron Montalvo is set as story supervisor and executive producer. The manga is published by Hollowfox Book Media and Yen Press in cooperation with Hasbro. The manga series is considered canon to the films and shows but in a separate continuity.

Manga adaptations of FilmsEdit

Shueisha and Hollowfox, in partnership with Bandai and Hasbro, were commissioning manga adaptations of the feature films since 2017. Montalvo is supervising the series, Akira Amano and Akira Himekawa are set to be character designers while the translation from the films will be provided by Riku Sanjo and Yuichiro Kido and the designs illustrated and adapted by Natsuo Sai.

Viz Media publishes the adaptations worldwide.

GamesEdit

Harmony Unleashed: Guardian Impact Edit

In 2019, Bandai Namco Entertainment and Hollowfox Entertainment (through its gaming subsidiary Midoringo Enterprises), alongside Hasbro, announced a new action game for the Harmony Unleashed Saga developed by PlatinumGames Inc. with game direction by Makoto Okazaki, character designs by Akira Himekawa and Matt Boismier and story written by Aaron Montalvo, Emily Ivette Torres, Adam McKay, Eric Rogers, Michael Waldron, G.M. Berrow and Dave Polsky, It is set to be an action/adventure beat-em-up/hack and slash game that tells a story within the Harmony Unleashed saga with elements from past installments.

It will be set to be on next-gen consoles through PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, XBOX Series X as well as PC, Mac and Linux (through services such as Steam, GOG and Epic Games Store) and through gaming streaming services such as Google Stadia, PlayStation Now and XBOX Game Pass.

Harmony Unleashed Saga: Harmonical FightersEdit

Bandai Namco Entertainment announced that a videogame from the franchise is in development with Bandai Namco Entertainment are set as publishers, Hasbro Gaming and A.M. Games as distributors and Bandai Namco Studios and CyberConnect2 as developers (with additional development from Eighting). It is intended to be an 3D fighting game in the style of Tekken, Marvel vs. Capcom, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle and Dissidia Final Fantasy.

It is released in the arcades (through the Namco System 357 arcade board) in 2017 with a home release (PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Steam) released later that year. A remastered "complete" version for the game is set to be released for PlayStation 5 next year.

Harmony Unleashed: A Guardian's FightEdit

A fighting game has been announced and shown on "Summer Game Fest", being a separate entity from Harmonical Fighters and being set as a 2.5 fighting game developed by Arc System Works (through the gameplay and graphic style of Battle Fantasia instead of Guilty Gear Xrd/Strive and Dragon Ball FighterZ) and Eighting and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment.

It is set to release on consoles for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, XBOX Series X, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, Linux, and Stadia around 2021.