With a 30-year pedigree and US$1 billion in retail sales last year, the My Little Pony brand is readying for the big screen courtesy of Hasbro Studios and Lionsgate – which are also simultaneously working on a live-action Monopoly-inspired feature film.

The animated film – a first for Hasbro – has cast actress Kristin Chenoweth to voice an all-new character. Meghan McCarthy, writer and producer for Discovery Family Channel’s My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic animated series (pictured), is penning the screenplay, which will be produced by Hasbro’s Allspark Pictures. Lionsgate is distributing and marketing the film globally (excluding China).

The movie sees a new dark force threatening Ponyville, and the Mane 6 – Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity –  embark on a quest beyond Equestria to use the magic of friendship and save their home. It will feature new music with the Mane Six characters voiced by Tara Strong, Cathy Weseluck, Andrea Libman, Tabitha St. Germain and Ashleigh Ball. Chenoweth has earned vocal recognition while starring in such productions as Broadway’s Wicked and Fox’s Glee, to name a few.

The Ponies have taken many forms since their initial launch in 1983 – from dolls, to TV series to some rather interesting user-generated 3D renderings. Expect their silver screen debut in 2018.