My Little Pony: A New Generation Is Galloping Your Way to Netflix!

Written by Pony Princess.

My Little Pony: The New Generation 
Source: Netflix

Get ready for a galloping good time with the latest incarnation of the world famous My Little Pony franchise! 

After months of gloomy lockdowns, it feels like the sun is shining again with the announcement of My Little Pony: The New Generation Movie by Netflix. The movie was originally set for a theatrical release by Paramount in February. However, due to the pandemic, My Little Pony: The New Generation was one of many high-profile movies from Paramount that was sold and offloaded onto Netflix. A brilliant move considering that most parts are the world are battling Covid. And it's just the movie we need to add some colour to a dull stay-at-home routine.

Set to stream on September 24th on Netflix worldwide, a new generation of colourful ponies are here to cheer you up with plenty of laughs, daring adventure and lots of glitter. 

If you are not a pony fan or unfamiliar with the franchise, then this write-up will definitely help equip you with tidbits about the movie and the history highlights of this beloved franchise that has made it into global phenomenon.

Watch the trailer to get a sneak peak of the magical adventure that awaits.

The movie is set many, many years after the events of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic where Twilight Sparkle's teachings on friendship and harmony has been forgotten and replaced with mistrust and enmity. In the trailer we get glimpses of "modern" Equestria that is more technologically advanced and the sense of paranoia from the three different pony species. Underneath all the colour and glitter lies a rather heavy handed theme that hits an all too familiar chord close with our own world's reality; racism and discrimination.

Featuring an all new cast of ponies voiced by acclaimed talents including former Disney star Vanessa Hudgens (Bad Boys for Life, High School Musical) as Sunny and Kimiko Glenn (Orange is the New Black) as Izzy, plus James Marsden (Westworld, X-Men, Sonic the Hedgehog), Sofia Carson (Descendants), Liza Kosby (Work It), and Jane Krakowski (Schimigadoon, Ally McBeal). The movie is directed by Robert Cullen, Jose Ucha and Mark Fattibene.

Meet the cast of My Little Pony: The New Generation

The Movie at a Glance

Synopsis

The truly unimaginable has happened...Equestria has lost its friendship, harmony and magic! Earth Ponies, Unicorns and Pegasi are no longer friends and now live separated by species.  But an idealistic Earth Pony Sunny Starscout (Vanessa Hudgens) is determined to find a way to bring enchantment, unity and friendship back to their world. Team up with open-hearted and crafty Unicorn Izzy, (Kimiko Glen), the pair travel to faraway lands where they encounter the likes of charismatic and brave Pegasi Pipp (Sofia Carson) and Zipp (Liza Koshy) and the ever-responsible fellow Earth Pony Hitch (James Marsden). Journey with the ponies on a mission full of misadventures but these new best friends each possess their own unique and special gifts that may be just what Equestria needs to restore what it was before.

(Source: Flickering Myth)

Initial release: September 23, 2021
Director: Robert Cullen and Jose Luis Ucha
Produced by: Cecil Kramer; Peter Lewis
Production companies: Entertainment One and Boulder Media
Music composed by: Heitor Pereira, Alan Schmuckler, Michael Mahler
Story by: Robert Cullen, Jose Ucha and Tim Sullivan

(Source: IMDB)

Meet the New Generation of Ponies
Source: Netflix

Sunny Starscout

The protagonist of the story whose personality is just like her name. 

She is curious, adventurous and determined to make the world a better place for all ponies.

Izzy Moonbow

Izzy is an energetic unicorn from Bridlewood Forest who loves crafting and glitter.

Zipp Storm

Zipp is the rebellious and daredevil sister of Pipp from Zephyr Heights. 

She is athletic and love science.

Hitch Trailblazer

Hitch is the caring and responsible sheriff of Maretime Bay who looks after everypony.

Pipp Petals

The stylish pop-star princess of Zephyr Heights and sister to Zipp. 

She is a pop star icon who loves entertaining ponies.

Queen Haven

A pegasus who is also the mother of Pipp and Zipp. 

She the ruler of Zephyr Heights.

Argyle Starshine

Sunny Starscout's father who tells Sunny stories about Twilight Sparkle 

(main protagonist from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic).

Phyllis Cloverleaf

A pink Earth pony who owns a company called Canterlogic that manufactures product to keep Earth ponies safe and stylish.

For non pony fans, you are probably thinking, civilised, colourful talking little ponies with symbols on their flanks that live in towns and cities??  Where did all these came from and has it always been this way? This is where knowing the humble origins of this beloved franchise comes in.

Trotting Down Memory Lane  

Forty years ago during the dark internet-less ages where there was (gasp) no WiFi, smart phones and online games, children played with analogue toys and watched analogue television with commercials and no skip function. This was an era where Saturday morning cartoons were a staple for boys and girls and not to mention, the ultimate advertising platform for toy companies. The famous American toy company Hasbro, known for toys like Transformers & GI Joe, decided to come up with a brand new toy line aimed at girls.

In 1981, the world was introduced to the very first version of a toy pony called, "My Pretty Pony" created by Bonnie Zacherle, Charles Muenchinger and Steve D' Aguanno. It looks nothing like the ponies we know of today since it was brown, made of hard plastic and stands at ten-inches tall.

Bonnie Zacherle is the creator of the ponies. She lived in Japan with her family where her father cared for all quarantined animals entering and leaving the country. Zacherle may have been inspired by a Korean pony called Knicker whom she adored but have to leave behind when she left Japan. 

However, due to mediocre sales of "My Pretty Pony", the line was discontinued in favour of a redesigned version under a trademark name, "My Little Pony." The redesigned ponies are smaller, multicoloured and feature the hallmark symbol on their flanks known today as cutie marks. 

Source: Hasbro

The six original My Little Ponies released in 1983 were Minty, Blue Belle, Snuzzle, Cotton Candy, Butterscotch and Blossom; names not arranged in any order.

A remake version of the 6 original ponies was released in 2018 to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the franchise.

With the launch of the My Little Pony line, this was followed by other variety of ponies including winged-ponies, unicorns and flutter ponies (a smaller, thinner version with iridescent plastic wings) and sea ponies (chubby sea horses with manes). Little girls of the eighties could not get enough of them resulting in an explosion of ponies in an assortment of colours, patterns and accessories to collect. There were baby ponies with diapers and cots, ponies covered in flock, ponies with rhinestone eyes, bendable ballerina ponies with tutus, ponies who can change colour of their hair and even ponies with costumes to wear! It was literally a collector's paradise and truly the golden age of My Little Pony.

The super rare Japanese version of My Little Pony from Takara (now Takara Tomy) released in 1985 are nothing like the originals. Known as Osharena Pony (or stylish pony), the ponies are anthropomorphic, stands upright on their hooves, have tiny beady eyes and a bulbous nose. 

My Little Pony ran from 1982 to 1992 in the United States and went global in 1995. The expansion continues to include a wide assortment of merchandises ranging from comic books, stationeries, 2 animated specials, an animated feature-length film and two animated television series that ran for 2 seasons. At its peak, as many as one hundred and fifty million ponies were sold during the eighties alone!

The magic begins to fade 

The franchise has undergone many reiterations since the eighties with each new look updated to appeal the current market. Each new look are called a generation by fans. 

But alas, the franchise started to decline in the late nineties due to stiff competition from other entertainment alternatives. Eventually, My Little Pony was discontinued due to poor sales until in the early 2000, Hasbro decided to revive the brand. There came the 4th generation of My Little Pony that sparked the renaissance age of the franchise. 

Hasbro approached Lauren Faust, an animator, storyboard artist and writer, who worked on popular cartoon series like the Powerpuff Girls and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends among them, to give the dying franchise a much needed makeover. Source: Wikipedia

Original concept sketches of Twilight Sparkle by Faust 

Faust is no stranger with ponies and grew up with them during the eighties. The cast were based on personalities that she invented for her own pony toys, calling them her "inner eight year old". This resulted in the creation of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic which became the fourth incarnation of the franchise that catapulted My Little Pony to global pop culture status. Faust's ingenuity and appealing designs was instrumental to the revival of the franchise in 2010 which ushered the new golden age for the franchise.

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is a modern take on the previous Generation 1 (G1) television series from the 80s that critics panned as sickeningly sweet and cute. Faust infused elements of fantasy, magic, modern humour and a theme that revolves around friendship. The story revolves around Twilight Sparkle and her daring adventures with her 5 pony friends, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Apple Jack. Thus, making them the Mane 6. The core theme of the entire series is about friendship and harmony with the catchphrase, "Friendship is Magic"

From 2010 to 2019, the series ran for an impressive 9 seasons with a total of 221 episodes and at least one animated movie. By far it is the most successful My Little Pony series with a rich fantasy world, an engaging plot and memorable characters. 

The success of this G4 series garnered a massive following worldwide not only in little girls but in an unintended market; the young adult male audience. These fans are known in the geek circles as "bronies" and its female equivalent, "pegasisters".  The success of G4 brought in over $1 billion retail sales in 2014 and 2015. 

You know your franchise has arrived when there's an exclusive convention called Bronycon for it. Unfortunately, with the conclusion of the G4 series, the last Bronycon was held in 2019.

And now that leads us to the upcoming movie, My Little Pony: A New Generation which will kickstart a new beginning or the fifth generation of the franchise. In that same vein as most current animated films, the 2021 movie will spot a refreshing new look in 3D.

The movie will be set in the same universe as My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, albeit in the very distant future.

A Peek Behind The Scenes

The movie is co-written and co-directed by Robert Cullen (left) and Jose Luis Ucha. Cullen is a veteran in the industry who has worked on animated series like Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, The Amazing World of Gumball, Transformers: Cyberverse, El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera and DC Superhero Girls.

At the peak of the movie production, there were about 48 animators located in five different time zones who worked on the film. Production went underway during the Covid lockdowns with the crew from 20 different countries working remotely. According to Cullen, the movie took about four years from start to finish.

Bringing the ponies into a fully CGI world was no easy feat. As much as the fans loved Faust's iconic G4 design, the animation style in 2D simply cannot be copied straight into 3D. Graham Gallagher, the animation supervisor referred to the TV series as a starting point for designing the ponies in a new world but quickly realised that some adjustments needed to be made. Source: Animation Magazine

"We found that the bodies were way too small (referring to the G4 version) and they couldn't sit down and we wanted to be able to help them sit down and be able to talk and interact like a human. We had to elongate their bodies," said Gallagher.

Despite the challenges, Cullen expressed that it was important to make the changes in order to capture the range of emotions and expressions of the ponies. Keeping the DNA of "Friendship is Magic" in the new characters is definitely a priority not just for the loyal fans but to new audiences who are not familiar with My Little Pony.

Knowing how songs has always played a significant role in all pony episodes, the directors brought in an impressive cast of vocal talents to perform a variety of songs in an eclectic mix of genres from edgy rock tunes to broadway musicals. Two songwriters, Michael Mahler and Alan Schmuckler are onboard to compose the music in the movie. Some fans will be a little disappointed to know that Daniel Ingram (the composer behind all the music and songs in the G4 series) is not involve in the production.

Here is a non-spoiler sample of songs that you can expect:

Performed by none other than former Disney star Vanessa Hudgens who played Gabriella Montez from the High School Musical series. She is also the voice of Sunny Starscout. 

Toys, toys, TOYS!

Not forgetting its roots! 

The new line of pony toys are officially out from Hasbro. 

Of course you will want to have one of these as a keepsake if you enjoyed the movie. 

The My Little Pony toy line has come a long, long way since the eighties and will continue to evolve in each generation.

Reigning it All In

Fans of My Little Pony from G4 are truly excited about the upcoming movie and are generally feeling optimistic. Understanding that it is the 5th incarnation of the franchise and the producers intends to reach out to new audiences that have not seen or heard of My Little Pony. However, of course there will be fans who are skeptical if the new movie and subsequently a follow-up series can live up to the success of the previous generation, G4 My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.   

With the trailers and few leaks circling online, fans are vague of what to expect. This of course opens up to some delicious speculations and high hopes for this newer generation of mature ponies.   

One speculation is attributed to Pipp Petals who is the latest pony princess for the new generation. Unlike the previous generation series, she is not an alicorn but a pegasus with feathery wings; for non-fans, an alicorn is a unicorn with wings and always of royal descent. So are alicorns going to exist at all in this new generation? 

The Equestria in G4 is also home to all sorts of creatures besides ponies including gryphons, yaks and other mythical creatures from the Everfree Forest.  Will we see other species of creatures other than ponies in G5 Equestria?

What about the fan favourite characters? Will they make a cameo or at least have a presence in the movie and series? The movie directors promises that there will be plenty of easter eggs to keep fans happy and as a tribute to the previous generation. Other than toys on Sunny's shelf, there are no confirmation if the G4 Mane 6 ponies will make an appearance.

Since the upcoming G5 series is targeted an an "older" audience (the age isn't specified yet) there's a chance that the series will explore more mature themes about identity, or relationships that aren't just between male and female ponies. This definitely opens up opportunities to include themes on diversity, inclusion and other modern trends that proliferates culture and society today. 

So fans can definitely look forward to what looks to be a bold new venture trail blazed by the G5 ponies. It  looks to be different, unique and possibly original from its predecessor with a greater chance of introducing a wider variety of ideas that are more reality-bound than fantasy.

Afterall the movie is already tackling the topic of racism, so they might as well keep it going. Who knows, we can expect episodes where friendship does not always solve everything, and facing challenges like dealing with trauma or the loss of a loved one and even depression & anxiety. 

The way forward for G5 seems to be in the right direction. Fans are genuinely excited  and welcome My Little Pony: The New Generation with open arms, so why not you?  Grab a bucket of popcorn and snuggle down on your favourite couch and get ready for some fun, musical action. 

For first time audiences, prepare to have your senses bombarded with colour and glitter as it always has been in the My Little Pony universe. But don't let its initial appearance fool you, like it did for me with the Gen 4 series.  Let the story and adventure unfold and unravel for itself! 

Available on Netflix, 24th September 2021

2 Sen Review From the Pony Princess

The movie opens up with a bang and it certainly does not disappoint! Fans from the series can cast away their worries concerning connections to its G4 roots because it is definitely there in plain sight. The pony vibe and sense of familiarity is felt in new Equestria although being a new generation, there is still plenty of world building to do. I suppose that's why the series will be a follow up to this exciting new world.

 

I admit that the fully CGI rendered ponies can take a little adjusting with the camera's tendency to focus on the 3/4 view or frontal angle of the pony's head. The body is noticeably elongated which was explained earlier by animation director Gallagher. Overall, the ponies translates beautifully into 3D with plenty of nods to the G4 designs. Sunny and friends even come across as extra adorable with the realistic fur and tiny details, i.e. the fur on the hooves and ombre effect on the fur. Even the cutie mark looks as realistic as it gets on a furry flank.

In terms of story, a group of ponies shows courage to go against mainstream thinking and demonstrates that judging others without knowledge is a mistake that breeds fear and mistrust. It does a good job at addressing the issue of disparate group of ponies and is neither too dark nor lighthearted. 

Much like the beloved toys themselves, the shows have change so much over the years with each new generation. Still, the movie has stayed true to the essence of My Little Pony where the positive message about unity, inclusion and friendship has been always been a focal point to the pony universe. 

It's a great way to continue the story of Equestria's residents while attracting new fans young and not-so-young to the series. I am definitely excited and curious to know more about this new generation of ponies. The movie has definitely opened up a world of possibilities and more room to expand on the My Little Pony universe.

So this Pony Princess had a galloping good time watching the movie. It's colourful, entertaining and the animation is what you can expect from a high quality 3D animated film originally aimed for the silver screen.

The characters are memorable enough and I found myself curious to know more about the back story of each one. Oh, and just a fair warning, "Gonna Be My Day" and "Glowin Up" are songs that might as well get stuck in your head. 

Disclaimer: My Little Pony, and associated characters are registered trademarks to Hasbro, referenced here for fan service only without intent to infringe.

Ant-Man and The Wasp shows that Size Doesn't Matter but yet it Does

This week Marvel's Ant-Man and The Wasp brings a “smaller” superhero adventure back to cinemas as a sequel to 2015's Ant-Man. It is the 20th movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (M.C.U.) as part of Phase Three and takes place close to events of Avengers Infinity War. Because jumping into this latest movie, let's briefly recap on the adventures to Ant-Man to date.

Three years ago we were introduced to the microscopic world of the MCU through the eyes of Scott Lang (Paul Rudd). Being an ex-con, Scott finds it difficult finding regular employment in order to maintain visitation rights with his daughter, Cassie. In order to make ends mean, he soon teams up with fellow ex-con Luis (Michael Pena) to break into a safe in an old house. Scott succeeds breaking open the safe but only finds what appears to be a motorcycle suit.

It turns out that the heist was in fact staged by Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) to test Scott as the new Ant-Man. Pym was the original Ant-Man in the 1980s performing clandestine missions for S.H.I.E.L.D. until death of his wife, Janet Van Dyne, leading to a fallout with Howard Stark and the covert organisation. He then setup Pym Technologies but disavowed his shrinking technology for fear that it would be used for nefarious purposes. Unfortunately come present day this former protege Darren Cross (Corey Stoll) is close to replicating shrinking technology with intent to weaponise it. Pym convinces Scott to help destroy Cross' tech research and prototype. Together with his daughter Hope (Evangeline Lilly), they train Scott to effectively use the suit's powers and control ants to aid on the mission.

The heist appears to go according to plan until Cross detects the subterfuge and captures Scott, Hope and Pym. Of course, that's only temporary as our heroes escape and destroy the laboratory and research facility. In the process Cross dons his own prototype Yellowjacket shrinking suit and a miniature battle ensues with Ant-Man in Cassie's bedroom of Cassie. To defeat Cross, Scott has to go sub-atomic to wreck the Yellowjacket suit from the inside then disappear into the Quantum Realm. However, Scott manages to overcome debilitating effects of the microverse and enlarges back to the normal world reuniting with his daughter.

Watch this Honest Trailers take on the first Ant-Man movie.

Fast forward a year, Scott is recruited by Sam Wilson / Falcon during the events of Captain America: Civil War in 2016. Ant-Man becomes a member of Team Captain America in an epic airport battle against Team Iron Man where Avengers and their associates are pitted against one another over differences on the Sokovia Accords. This incident also showcased that Ant-Man's powers can work in reverse, enlarging him to a massive 65 feet / 20 metre tall Giant Man!

Ant-Man joins Team Cap in Civil War.

Although Steve Rogers and Bucky escape, the rest of the team are captured and sent to the Raft prison for enhanced humans. Their prison time appears short lived though once Rogers breaks them out and goes underground quitting the Avengers.

Here is the Honest Trailers "re-cap" (geddit?). of Civil War.

This then brings us to “present day” where Scott is serving out two years of house arrest at the start of Ant-Man and The Wasp. Here's the official synopsis of the movie:

In the aftermath of 'Captain America: Civil War,' Scott Lang grapples with the consequences of his choices as both a Super Hero and a father. As he struggles to re-balance his home life with his responsibilities as Ant-Man, he's confronted by Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym with an urgent new mission. Scott must once again put on the suit and learn to fight alongside The Wasp as the team works together to uncover secrets from their past.

In the Director's seat once again is Peyton Reed with the returning cast of Paul Rudd as Scott Lang / Ant-Man, Evangeline Lilly as Hope Van Dyne / Wasp, Michael Pena as Luis, Abby Ryder Fortson as Cassie, Judy Greer as Maggie (Scott's ex-wife), Bobby Cannavale as Jim Paxton (Maggie's husband), Tip “T.I.” Harris as Kurt, David Dastmalchian as Kurt, and Michael Douglas as Dr. Hank Pym. Plus of course the anticipated cameo by Stan Lee.

This time The Wasp shares main title credit with Ant-Man, and as clearly hinted at the end of the preceding movie, Hope Van Dyne takeovers the mantle of Wasp from her mother in a new suit. In addition to shrinking abilities, this new Wasp suit includes wings and blasters to “sting” bad guys. Find out more about Wasp in this featurette;

Micheal Douglas (left) returns as Dr. Hank Pym and introducing Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet Van Dyne.

Ant-Man and The Wasp also looks to flesh out Hope's mother, Janet Van Dyne played by award-winning veteran actress Michelle Pfeiffer (Batman Returns, Dangerous Minds). Inspired by Scott's escape from the Quantum Realm, Hank Pym re-examines his technology for a potential rescue mission of Janet who was lost in this microverse three decades earlier.

A familiar face in geek pop culture movies, Laurence Fishburne of Matrix infamy portrays Bill Forster, a former colleague of Pym on Project Goliath. Geeks should also recognise Fishburne as the current Perry White from Man of Steel and subsequent movies of the DC Expanded Universe (DCEU). Like Ryan Reynolds, he's certainly another alumni of both Marvel and DC movies.

New antagonists include Walton Goggins (Tomb Raider, Maze Runner: The Death Cure) as Sonny Burch, a low-time tech hustler, and Hannah John-Kamen (Ready Player One) as Ava Starr / Ghost, a mysterious enhanced woman who can phase through solid matter (kinda like Vision). Read more about Ghost from this article by Hype.

Viewers of American sitcom Fresh Off The Boat will also recognise Randall Park who joins the cast as FBI Agent Jimmy Woo. Plus there are numerous characters from our titular hero... Ants! The movie certainly casts ants in ways never seen before and potentially makes them look cool. Find out more about Ants in this Marvel science mini-documentary:

Uma of BFM's At The Movies had the opportunity to interview the stars of Ant-Man and The Wasp, Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly. Here's what they had to say about being in the MCU:

At the Movies x Ant Man and the Wasp: Paul Rudd
Also in Taipei, Umapagan spoke to Paul Rudd about the Withnail and I drinking game, about the MCU, and about starring alongside Hollywood legends. Catch Ant Man and the Wasp in cinemas on the 4th of July and let us know what you think about the 20th movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Posted by At the Movies on Monday, 2 July 2018

At the Movies x Ant Man and the Wasp: Evangeline Lilly
Umapagan was in Taipei recently where he caught up with the Wasp herself! Evangeline Lilly talks to At the Movies about what it's like being the first female superhero to have title billing in an MCU movie. Ant Man and the Wasp will be in cinemas on July 4th.
Posted by At the Movies on Sunday, 1 July 2018

Now watch them attempt a miniature cookout session to make some fried rice!

But seriously here's a featurette on Ant-Man and The Wasp teaming-up as the shrinking superheroes of the MCU:

Thanks for Walt Disney Studios Malaysia, a few of us Marvelites got to attend the Movie Premiere of Ant-Man and The Wasp at TGV Cinemas, 1 Utama earlier this week. A handful of “ants” suited up for the occasion and certainly delighted fellow cinema patrons. Here are our immediate non-spoiler reactions of the movie:

Many "ants" and a "wasp" cosplaying at the Malaysian Movie Premiere for Ant-Man and The Wasp.

Read more early reactions compiled by Says.com here, and reviews by Star2.com and Variety. If prefer to watch one instead, here is IGN's video review:

Remember this is a Marvel movie, so stay back during the end-credits for two bonus scenes. Marvel's Ant-Man and The Wasp is now showing in Malaysian cinemas nationwide.

For fans who can wait (or like a 2nd or 3rd round) or regular movie goers, The Sun newspaper together with Petron Malaysia is giving away open tickets to watch Ant-Man and The Wasp starting next week. To participate spend a minimum RM5 on fuel at Petron stations then get hold of The Sun published on 2 July to count the number if tiny Ant-Men and Wasps. Read terms and condition plus submit entries by 8 July through via The Sun website page here.

For collectors of geek stuff, the Outpost Movie Recon Team (M.R.T.) has special intel below for you all to bring home a piece of the action.

Starting first from GSC Cinemas, there are so many movie merchandise giveaways that will have fans coming back again for repeated screenings of this movie. Available right now with purchase of two movie tickets are a Special Print Edition poster and exclusive Pin Badges.

Then starting next week from 10 July will be a Mini-Comic Book with Magnifying Glass, and from 14 July will be Collectible Coin. These are given out with purchase of two movie tickets as well. Check the full terms and conditions plus availability from GSC's website.

There are also a few type of concession combo deals. The 3D Figure Cup looks way cool and available as part of popcorn combo.

For official Ant-Man and The Wasp metallic foil tshirts, there are three designs available. Two designs of either Ant-Man or The Wasp come as part of a concession combo with popcorn and drinks from RM44.50. The third design featuring both superheroes is available for only RM10 with purchase of two Gold Class or Premiere Class tickets. Again check availability from GSC's website.

Over at TGV Cinemas, they are offering a Ant-Man Popcorn Bucket which resembles the helmet of our titular hero. It is sold together with popcorn and drinks for RM34.90, or RM10 less for Maybank cardmembers. Maybank credit card holders may also take advatange of Buy 1 Get 1 offer for IMAX tickets, hence bring a partner / friend for FREE.

Finally as part of their promotional campaign to send a MovieClub member to New York Comic Con (NYCC), purchase two tickets to redeem an Ant-Man and The Wasp Collectible Card which is the final piece required to qualify joining this slogan contest. NYCC takes place 4 to 7 October 2018 and is typically SOLD OUT months in advance so this is certainly an opportunity not to be missed for geek pop culture fans eligible for travel to the United States.

Read up all the terms and conditions for these promos at TGV's website.

In addition, TGV Home of Heroes is celebrating this summer blockbuster season of superheroes movies with a Heroes Homecoming Fan Gathering taking place a cinemas across the country. The BIGGEST fan engagements will take place this weekend 7-8 July 2018 at the Main Concourse of Sunway Putra Mall, Kuala Lumpur from 10am to 10pm with comic book superhero exhibits, video games, green screen photo booth, popcorn giveaway and lucky draws.

The main Fan Gathering will take place on Saturday between 5pm to 9pm at four locations simultaneously. In addition to Sunway Putra Mall, the other locations are TGV 1st Avenue in Penang, Station 18 in Ipoh and Imperial City Mall in Miri. Fans can enlist during this time to participate in a Superhero themed challenge to win major prizes worth thousands of RM. Here's the video recap from the last Heroes Homecoming Fan Gathering at Sunway Velocity Mall for an idea on what to expect:

Throwback- Heroes Homecoming Fan Gathering, TGV Cinemas Sunway Velocity
We're a week away from our next fan gathering, at the Main Concourse Area at Sunway Putra Mall. Here's a throwback to what happened at our last Heroes Homecoming Fan Gathering, in April 2018. Looking forward to more fun and games, and a chance to take part in giveaways with prizes worth up to RM5,000? RSVP here : http://bit.ly/TGV-HOTH-AntManFanGathering
Posted by TGV Cinemas on Friday, 29 June 2018

Especially for superhero movie cosplayers, a Cosplay Competition will be taking place at Sunway Putra Mall (main concourse) from 7.30pm onwards. Cosplayers from Marvel, DC, Image and other superhero franchises are welcome to participate; not just limited to Ant-Man and The Wasp. Prizes worth over RM3,000 include:

• Grand Prize: Canon DSLR Camera
• Second Prize: Ant- Man & the Wasp Phone Holder, Key Chain and Pin Badges
• Third Prize: Set of Avengers Mini Figurines

Plus FIRST 12 qualified registrations receive an Ant-Man Popcorn Bucket. Participation is FREE with Registration opening at 6pm until 7pm with maximum of 20 pax. Be sure to check Terms and Conditions for the Cosplay Competition at TGV's website.

For the latest updates on what's happening join the Heroes Homecoming Event Listing on Facebook and stay tuned.

Now at MBO Cinemas, an official Spinning Keychain is available free with purchase of two MX4D movie tickets, which is only available at Starling Mall and Kuantan City Mall for purchases over the counter. Alternatively this keychain and limited edition tshirt may be won by AllStar members through contest until 23 July with purchase of two Ant-Man and The Wasp tickets to enter. AllStar members can also use their points to redeem four different movie premiums bidding with their points; read-up on bid mechanics with terms and conditions.

Finally, a contest is open to all Facebook users to simply win some loot by commenting on this MBO post.

HypeMY has a contest offering similar movie premium so check out their website here on how to participate.

Now we've mentioned Petron Malaysia earlier, but they have even yet more stuff to giveaway including an all-expense 5-Day 4-Night Marvel VIP Experience in London with tickets to London MCM Comic Con in 2019! In addition there are 50 weekly prizes of Limited Edition Ant-Man and The Wasp movie premiums. To enter spend a minimum of RM50 on fuel swiping Petron Miles Card to enter. Read more on this great fan experience opportunity reported by The Sun here and get full terms and conditions from Petron's website.

For toys for the BIG boys and kids, 6in scale action figures of Ant-Man and The Wasp are available from Hasbro's Marvel Legends series priced at RM132. The head sculpts are really good this time with Scott's expression matching the nature of this movie. They may be a bit hard to find at regular toy retailers since released as part of an Avengers Infinity War set (with parts to build Cull Obsidian) so do check out toy collectors hobby stores instead.

Fans of LEGO can pickup the official 76109 Quantum Explorer building set which includes all three main characters of this movie as minifigs: Ant-Man, Wasp and Ghost. These are priced at RM122.60 and should be available at major toy retailers and LEGO shops.

25 feet. 65 feet. Does Size Matter? Find out in Ant-Man and The Wasp!

Disclaimer: Ant-Man, The Wasp and associated trademarks are copyright to Marvel Entertainment, referenced here for fan service purposes only without intent to infringe.