Trolls (franchise)

Trolls is a 2016 American computer-animated musical[1] comedy film[2] based on the Troll dolls created by Thomas Dam. Mike Mitchell directed the film, with Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger serving as the writers. The film is based on a story by Erica Rivinoja. The film features the voices of Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Zooey Deschanel, Christine Baranski, Russell Brand, James Corden, Ron Funches, Jeffrey Tambor, John Cleese and Gwen Stefani. The film follows two trolls who go on a quest to save their village from destruction by the Bergens, creatures who eat Trolls to be happy.

DreamWorks announced plans for a film based on the Troll toyline as early as 2010. This version was to be written by Adam Wilson and Melanie Wilson LaBracio.[3] By 2012, Chloë Grace Moretz had already been cast in the female lead role and Jason Schwartzman was reported to have been offered the male lead.[4] In September 2012, 20th Century Fox and DreamWorks Animation announced that the film with the working title Trolls would be released on June 5, 2015, with Anand Tucker set to direct the film, written by Wallace Wolodarsky and Maya Forbes.[5]

By April 2013, DreamWorks Animation had acquired the intellectual property for the Trolls franchise from the Dam Family and Dam Things. Having "big plans for the franchise," DreamWorks Animation became the exclusive worldwide licensor of the merchandise rights, except for Scandinavia, where Dam Things remains the licensor.[6] In May 2013, the film was pushed back for a year to November 4, 2016.[7] The same month, DreamWorks Animation announced that Mike Mitchell and Erica Rivinoja has been hired as a director and screenplay writer to "reimagine" the film as a musical comedy, which would present the origin of the Trolls' colorful hair.[8] On June 16, 2014, Anna Kendrick joined the cast to voice Poppy, a princess.[9] On September 15, 2015, Deadline Hollywood reported that Justin Timberlake would voice a character named Branch.[10] Timberlake previously worked with DreamWorks Animation as the voice of Arthur "Artie" Pendragon in Shrek the Third in 2007. The full cast announced their respective roles via announcements on Twitter on January 6, 2016.[11]

Trolls premiered on October 8, 2016, at the BFI London Film Festival[12][13] and was theatrically released in the United States on November 4 by 20th Century Fox[10] and received mostly positive reviews from critics and grossed $346 million worldwide against its $125 million budget. The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for "Can't Stop the Feeling!".[14]

Trolls World Tour is a 2020 American computer-animated jukebox musical comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Universal Pictures. The film is directed by Walt Dohrn, produced by Gina Shay, and written by Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger, Elizabeth Tippet, Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky, from a story by Aibel and Berger. The film stars the voices of Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Rachel Bloom, James Corden, Ron Funches, Kelly Clarkson, Anderson Paak, Sam Rockwell, George Clinton and Mary J. Blige.[15]

On February 28, 2017, Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation announced a sequel to the 2016 film Trolls, with Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake reprising their roles as Poppy and Branch.[16]

In March 2017, podcasters the McElroy brothers began campaigning for roles in the film via a podcast titled "The McElroy Brothers Will Be in Trolls 2".[17] Following the campaign's success, DreamWorks confirmed in September 2018 that the McElroy brothers would make cameo appearances in World Tour.[18]

Sam Rockwell, Chance the Rapper, Anthony Ramos, Jamie Dornan and Flula Borg were added to the cast in May 2018. Corden, Icona Pop, Funches, and Nayyar returned to reprise their roles.[19] On June 12, 2018, the film was retitled as Trolls World Tour.[20][21] In October 2018, it was confirmed that Kelly Clarkson had joined the cast, and will perform an original song.[22] In June 2019, along with promotional posters, new cast members have been announced, which include: J Balvin, Mary J. Blige, Rachel Bloom, George Clinton, Kenan Thompson, Ester Dean, Anderson Paak and Gustavo Dudamel.

Universal Pictures originally planned to release Trolls World Tour theatrically in the United States on April 10, 2020.[23] It was later pushed back to April 17, 2020. Following the delay of No Time to Die, it was once again pushed up to the original April 10 release date.[24][25] On March 17, Universal announced that the film would be released simultaneously in theaters and through Premium Video on Demand on April 10 in the United States and Canada due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[26][27] As the pandemic receded, the film was released back in regular theatres.

Trolls: The Beat Goes On! is an American animated web television series based on the film Trolls. The series was released on Netflix on January 19, 2018 exclusively in the United States, Canada, Latin America, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, the Nordics, Benelux, and France.

Amanda Leighton, Skylar Astin, Kari Wahlgren, Sam Lerner, David Kaye, David Fynn, Sean T. Krishnan, Kevin Michael Richardson, and Fryda Wolff provide the new voices for Princess Poppy, Branch, Bridget, King Gristle, King Peppy, Biggie and Mr. Dinkles, Guy Diamond, Smidge, DJ Suki and Satin & Chenille for this series respectively.[28]

Shortly after the release of the first season, it was confirmed that there would be a second season,[29] which was released on March 9 and consists of seven episodes.[30] The third season was released on August 24, 2018,[31] the fourth season on November 2, 2018,[32] the fifth season on January 18, 2019,[33] the sixth season on April 9, 2019,[34] the seventh season on August 27, 2019,[35] and the eighth and final season was released on November 22, 2019.[36]

On January 17, 2020, DreamWorks announced a new Trolls TV series, titled Trolls: TrollsTopia, to be distributed exclusively on both Hulu and Peacock. The series was originally scheduled to be released in late 2020.[37]

Due to the effects of COVID-19 on Peacock's original release schedule, many of the planned originals, including this series, have been delayed. Hulu had not announced any delays and would release the series on schedule.[38] The release date for the series on Hulu was confirmed to be November 19, 2020.[39] The series was released on Hulu and Peacock on November 19, 2020. Following the events of Trolls World Tour, the show focuses on Poppy uniting the Troll tribes by building TrollsTopia, a place where all the Trolls can live in harmony. It features the cast of the previous series reprising their roles, with Kenan Thompson, Ron Funches, and Walt Dohrn reprising their roles of Tiny Diamond, Cooper, and Cloud Guy from the films, respectively.

Trolls Holiday is a Christmas special that premiered on NBC. The half-hour Christmas special was directed by Joel Crawford and produced by DreamWorks Animation. The main cast all reprised their roles, as their respective characters, most notably Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, and Zooey Deschanel as Poppy, Branch, and Bridget, respectively.

The special premiered on November 24, 2017 (Black Friday).[40] The premiere of Trolls Holiday attracted 5.36 million viewers, with a 1.5 in the 18-49 demographic. It is the second most watched program of the night, behind How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, with 5.78 million viewers.[41]